Rhythmer's Fist'
by WFROSE
Summary: Crossover with Ranma and the Album 'Trance Action 1' (with a few other songs thrown in... no, it's not a songfic). Time to gear it up and get this party wild! The second season's up, prepare for TROUBLE AND BASS!!!
1. Chapter 1 'Ranma'

Ranma 1/2  
Rhythmer's Fist  
"Ranma"  
::Female Ranma's theme:: 'Open your Heart' (909 mix) by Flex  
::Male Ranma's theme:: "7 to9" (Original Mix) by Galaxyman  
  
  
  
This was not exactly an emotion Nabiki was used to, then again, the sight of a stoic looking Panda sitting at your front door carrying a struggling body on it's shoulder can be enough to jive even the most flinted personalities. The middle Tendou girl's non-too-subtle scream of panic, not accounting for the stumbling and frantic race away from the front door, was enough to bring the others to the door in investigative haste. Akane and Kasumi did themselves credit not to turn tail themselves as Akane stared incredulously, and the elder sister with serene yet disturbing detachment, at the struggling body draped over the non-indigenous (at least to the center of Nerima anyway) wildlife.   
  
The person being hoisted by the 300+ panda suddenly gave a *female* snort of frustration before suddenly ceasing struggling and straightening her legs out, pointing them to the ground. Then suddenly with ankles together, she swung her legs to the right side of the panda to start leverage, then swung them up to the left at a diagonal angle, barely missing the panda's head but forcing it to pull it's arm off the girl's back, lest it be twisted at a painful angle. The Tendous then caught a flash of red hair as the girl swung around in perfect gymnast's fashion, bracing her hands on the panda's right shoulder, and swung to it's back, under it's arm, then brought her feet square into the Panda's jaw, sending it flying back outside the door, then for herself to continue her momentum into a backwards summersault with a 10 point landing in front of the dubiously impressed Tendous.   
  
"[You could have ASKED me to set you down]", read the sign the Panda held up while it's free hand rubbed it's jaw.  
  
"Yeah, but then I wouldna' had a reason to hit ya, would I?" Stated the red headed girl, not bothering to suppress her confident smirk.  
  
"And you are?" Asked Soun  
  
"Ranma Saotome, sorry 'bout all this."  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
"I had assumed that Genma's son was a boy," Soun stated with remarkably sound logic that usually escapes him at most other times.   
  
"Does *THIS* look like a boy to you?" retorted Nabiki, once again prodding the buxom redhead's ample chest with her index finger  
  
"You're getting off on this as much as I am, huh?" Stated the girl claiming to be Ranma Saotome, her almost offhand comment causing Nabiki to withdraw her hand with as she emitted an almost inaudible "eep" sound at the implied statement.  
  
"Nabiki! She's our guest! Stop that!" Exclaimed Akane, helping to salvage the redhead's dignity. "Hi, I'm Akane, do you want to be friends?"  
  
Ranma shirked back a bit at the rather closeness this Akane girl was showing, maybe it was just the custom of personal space that is usually displayed in Japan that was her problem, but he had to ask, "heh, 'just' friends, hmm?"  
  
"Uhhhh, right, um, just.... f-friends... heh," replied Akane, not missing the comment thinly veiled comment toward her. Ranma raised an eyebrow at her new friend's nervousness, grin never leaving her face.  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
  
"So, I hear you studied Kempo?" Asked Akane as she walked the smaller girl out to the family Dojo.  
  
"Among other things," replied the Redhead in a non-chalant manner.  
  
Akane blinked at the cavalier attitude of the other girl, but disregarded it, "Well, let's have a little match then, I'll go easy on you," replied Akane endearingly, "are you ready?"  
  
"Hmm, gimme a sec," The redhead pulled out a headset and Discman from *somewhere* and secured them to her, "Kay, let's do this."  
  
"Um, are you sure you wanna do that?" Asked Akane a bit incredulous.  
  
"Don't worry, it has skip advanced DSP up to 50 seconds," proclaimed Ranma without the least bit of concern. With that, Ranma pressed play on the Discman and started skip dancing to the rhythm she was listening to, bobbing her head and swaying to a steady beat, not seeming to take any particular stance in her movements  
  
"Uh, okay, well here I come!" Akane wasn't sure what to do about this, so she decided that her first attack would just graze her, to make sure she took this seriously. Akane threw a straight right at Ranma's face, just to the right of the redhead to clip her ear. Ranma, with her eyes closed, stepped her right leg to the right, brought her right hand, touched her index and middle finger to her forehead, and leaned to the left. Her maneuver stepped her into the blow, but leaned her away so that it would just barely pass by her, enough to let Akane know that the girl knew to dodge it.   
  
Akane was close enough to hear the bass of whatever song Ranma was listening to, and note that Ranma's bobbing was in rhythm to the beats. Akane threw few more attacks at Ranma, and each one deftly dodged, in fact, she was *dancing* around her attacks, using moves she'd even remember seeing off of several popular American and Japanese dance shows.  
  
"Okay, this time's for real!" Exclaimed Akane, as she put her all into a straight reverse fist that was aimed at Ranma's head, tight and true. Ranma twisted into the blow, and when her back was turned to Akane, braced her foot onto the wall that was behind her, then back flipped tightly over Akane without interrupting the raven haired girl's momentum, causing her to send her fist straight through the wall. Akane turned around when she noticed her quarry was no longer in front of her, and felt two fingers on her forehead.   
  
Akane stared amazed at Ranma, who had her index and middle finger of her right hand against Akane's forehead, while her head was bowed down and bobbing to the rhythm of whatever song she was listening to.  
  
"Wow, you're good!" Stated Akane, defiantly impressed at this girl's martial arts prowess, despite the fact that she seemed more like she was at a rave than a tournament.  
  
"Don'tjathink?" the smug expression on Ranma's face hadn't changed the whole time.  
  
Akane frowned a bit at the girl's overconfidence, "kind of arrogant, aren't you? Well at least you're a girl, so I guess it's okay." Akane walked away, missing the strain on Ranma's smirk as her left eyebrow twitched.  
_______________________________________________________  
  
  
"THERE'S A BOY IN THE BATHROOM!!!!" Scream Akane as she ran into the living room and then outside with a towel wrapped around her and lifted the stone lantern, unheeding of the robust stranger sitting with her father.  
  
"So, why didn't you just clobber him Akane?" Asked Nabiki candidly.  
  
"I got scared, okay?" retorted Akane still holding the lantern, ready to bash the errant boy who dared peep on her in the tub.  
  
"Why don't you take a picture next time? My naked bod's always a Kodak moment!" said a decidedly male voice from the base of the stairs. All three girls gasped at the pigtailed boy at, wearing nothing but a bath towel. All three girls had their various reactions to the rather stunning looking young man. Kasumi blushed and looked away, her decidedly improper thoughts being mentally hammered down and out of the way. Nabiki didn't bother to disguise the leer on her face. Akane stared incredulously as her face was beet red, it wasn't decided from anger, embarrassment, or... something else.  
  
"Er, son, do you think that's decent?" asked Soun, a bit in shock over the lack of modesty being displayed at the moment.  
  
"Yeah, do you *MIND*?" Exclaimed Akane  
  
Ranma seemed to think about it for a sec... "No, you can look all you want," he replied innocently  
  
"Who are you anyway?" Nabiki, finally asking the jackpot question.  
  
"Oh, Ranma Saotome, guess I should apologize for all this"  
_________________________________________________________  
  
  
"Well, you're problem isn't so bad after all!" Soun steamrolled through the explanation of Ranma's curse, relieved that he wouldn't have to find some illegal measures in order to join Ranma with one of his daughters, "My daughters; Kasumi, nineteen, Nabiki, seventeen, and Akane, sixteen. Choose one and she will be your wife."  
  
Ranma blinked at the offer, the expression of her face (female after being thrown into the koi pond for a demonstration of his curse) was one of surprise. Then with a gleam in his eye, he replied, "can't I just have all three?" Nabiki and Akane face faulted, Kasumi's vacant smile showed a slight sign of strain as her left eyebrow twitched.  
  
"You PERVERT!" screamed Akane after a magnificent recovery from her nosedive into terra firma, looking around for a convenient blunt instrument.  
  
"Pervert? Not like you weren't getting a healthy eyeful a while ago," commented Ranma, with just a bit of humor creeping into his voice.  
  
"Well it's not bad like a boy looking in on a girl!" retorted Akane in her defense.  
  
"Aw, comon Akane, you're cute enough to not have to be bashful of your looks! I know I have the better female bod and all but...." Ranma found it hard to continue his sentence after the table knocked the sentience out of him.  
  
"Now that, he had coming" stated Genma Saotome matter-of-factly.  
_________________________________________________________  
  
"You're gonna make me go to school?" Ranma's tone held a tinge of defiance in it.  
  
"That's right boy, it's for your own good," answered is father.  
  
"Cut the BS, pops, you prolly just want me to be closer to the two dolls here," Ranma replied, jerking a thumb back in Akane and Nabiki's direction.  
  
"Dolls..." Nabiki's tactical mind already running possible scenarios on how to utterly dehumanize the young man.  
  
"......" Akane, being less the thinker and passionate one, found it more therapeutic to work off the early morning stress before school. And a heavy object of destruction applied to a pigtailed boy within the vicinity could cure what ail's ya.   
  
Akane swung her book bag over handed straight towards a seemingly unawares Ranma, and anticipated that meaty and satisfying sound of many school supplies connecting with a cranium. So she would be forgiven when she missed, as Ranma seemed to blur before her eyes and her book bag slammed into the pillow Ranma was sitting on at the dining room table. Akane felt he hips begin to sway slowly to.. to...  
  
To the beat of the song Ranma was listening to the previous night....  
  
"You have 3 seconds to let go of my hips, Ranma," commanded Akane with a deadly calm in her voice.  
  
"Alright, alright already, you looked a little tense, and I thought you could use a nice slow dance, cutie," replied Ranma with a soothing voice, clearly meant to aggravate Akane further. "That reminds me, how am I gonna go to school without school supplies?" Ranma twisted his torso smoothly away from the book bag full of school supplies hurled at him by Nabiki non-too gently, allowing it to smack into Akane's back and almost sending her tumbling onto the dining room table.  
  
"Hey, thanks for stopping that for me," Ranma pulled his book bag off of Akane's slumped back, "Hey, Akane, you sure you're going to school today? The way your trembling and as red as your face is, you look like you're coming down with something," nobody but Ranma knew if he was mocking her.  
  
"Akane, how many times have I told you not to manifest a battle aura in the house, you're scorching the floor again," chided Kasumi  
  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
"What was it Nab's took off so early for?" inquired Ranma, "I was kinda missing looking at her."  
  
"Well then, why didn't you follow her to school then so you could look at her all you want!" yelled Akane indignantly.  
  
Ranma turned to Akane's flushed face, obviously she wasn't enjoying his company at the moment, "because, I would rather keep an eye on a beauty like you."  
  
"Hmph, well the least you can do is walk on the sidewalk like a normal person, especially if you have to follow me." Ranma looked down at Akane, his expression seemed to be considering something, then changed to one of someone who just made a decision, or realized that he forgot to put on underwear in the morning.   
  
In a swift, almost unseen motion, Ranma jumped from the fence and jumped back onto the fence. Akane barely had time to realize that she was now also on the fence, balancing with Ranma behind her when she felt a shove into the small of her back.  
  
"Now walk," Ranma commanded curtly, his face was solid and appraising like a sensei or sifu observing their student.  
  
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!?! LET ME DOWN!" Screamed Akane, holding her arms out for balance lest she fall from her perch.  
  
"Sometimes, now walk" Ranma calmly ordered, once again pushing Akane in the small of her back to send her moving forward, "put your arms down too, and move faster, don't worry about falling."  
  
Akane gulped as she moved forward, and surprised herself as she managed to get two meters without succumbing to gravity, of course two meters was all it took for her to lose her footing. Before she could fully fall off the fence and onto the sidewalk, she saw a black and red blur fall to the sidewalk and back up to the fence in front of her, and felt Ranma's arm's steadying her.   
  
"I told ya already you're not gonna fall, just keep moving ahead," commanded Ranma, walking backwards on the fence while holding Akane steady.  
  
Akane's nerves where thoroughly shot by the time they got near Furinkan High, yet she noticed the nice sense of accomplishment when Ranma finally allowed her to jump from the fence. "Don't, EVER, do that again!!!" Screamed Akane  
  
"I'm afraid we're gonna be doing that every morn', Doll," Ranma's arrogant smirk lighting up his face in a rather handsome way.  
  
Akane turned away from Ranma, "Just like a boy. Grrrr, I hate boys, I hate boys..." Ranma perked up when Akane started picking up the pace and her mantra becoming faster and more pronounced. "I HATE boys, I HATE BOYS, I HATE BOYS!!!!"  
  
With that, Akane went into a full-fledged run into the gates of the high school up ahead of Ranma, right into a flock of awaiting boys in various sports gear. _________________________________________________________  
  
"Heh, not bad, cutie, now if we can get some finesse into there, you..." Ranma's hand reached past Akane's face in time to intercept a rose, then handed it to Akane, "I think this is for you"  
  
"You DARE be so familiar with the beauteous Tendou Akane, and have the gall sully that which was meant for the tigress's own hands? Speak, naive, for I would know the name of those who have fallen before my holy might."  
  
"Who's the pompous dick?" inquired Ranma to Akane, who could only hold her hand over her eyes in aggravation.  
  
"First you darken the corona of the fair Akane with your blackened aura, then you presume much as to intercept a gift for mine true love, THEN you have the... auDACITY to sully the personage of the Great Tatewake Kuno, the Varity fencing champion, the BLUE THUNDER of Furinkan High, Tatewake Kuno, age 17" Kuno struck a pose just as lightning struck off in the distance behind him, Ranma idly noted that it would be raining soon.  
  
"Blue Thunder?" enquired one student looking down at the newcomer who seemed to enjoy aggravating Kuno.  
  
"Last I heard he was calling himself 'The Shooting Star'!" replied another one. Nabiki grew a hard and predatory grin as she figured a nice punishment for the pigtailed boy that had the audacity to refer to the Ice queen of Furinkan High as a 'doll'.  
  
"Jerk-off even said his name twice...." stated Ranma humorlessly, "and I've been told I'm bad..."  
  
"You ARE bad!" retorted Akane  
  
"And that's why you're so hot and bothered for me."  
  
Akane let out a growl as she hurled her book bag at Ranma  
  
"ENOUGH! HAVE AT THE!" Kuno charged forward with his bokken and slashed forth towards Ranma, who dodged Kuno's strike by jumping over it and pulled Akane's book bag out of the way before it could become an unforeseen casualty  
  
"Gotta be careful with your school supplies, kitten. Heard they're expensive these days," voiced Ranma as he somersaulted and tossed Akane's school bag back toward her. As soon as Ranma landed he was met with a high speed volley of attacks that he easily swayed and danced out of the way of, occasionally striking some ostentatious pose to affirm the fact that he just couldn't take Kuno seriously.  
  
"Stand still, cur, so that you may meet your demise by mine bokken's point!"  
  
"Point? I got a few of them for you too, check it! Saotome School of Anything Goes Rhythmer's Fist Martial Arts final attack..... RAVE POINT!" With that Ranma stepped into Kuno's defenses, then without seeming to do anything, danced away.  
  
Without fanfare, Kuno stood in mid-swing, then fell flat onto his face unconscious while Ranma danced, his feet moving as gracefully as a any River dancer, but his head and torso swaying to a beat only he could hear, his arms pumping to the same beat.  
  
Finally winding down, Ranma picked up his bag he dropped a ways back and headed towards the school, "well, you coming to help me get registered or not, 'Kane-chan?"  
  
Akane's face still registered the shock from seeing Kuno go down without seeming a flint or flash of attack by Ranma, "How, how did you?"  
  
"Teach it to ya later, gotta get inside before it......"  
  
Rained, much of the Furinkan crowd that were outside and had witnessed this new boy take down Kuno without seemingly an effort, saw something twice as stunning, as said boy shrunk a few inches, grew a well endowed chest. With the final touch, his raven hair becoming vibrant red. Ranma sighed, and blew a lock of soaked red hair from her face.  
  
  
Next: Ryoga 


	2. Chapter 2 'Ryoga'

Rhythmer's Fist  
  
Ryoga  
::Ryoga's theme:: 'Loving You' (original Mix) by Mindless  
  
  
The bass pumped furiously from the speakers in the young man's backpack, directing the pace of his step. His gait had a carefree sway that that enhanced the way his torso and head bobbed in a one-two rhythm. The boy's brown pants flared out at the bottom, with a yellow strip running down teach side. His tank yellow tank top was taunt against his chest, allowing the ripple of muscles to play under it. Despite his seemingly jovial motions, Ryoga's face held an expression of seriousness with slight aloofness, as he attempted to read the map in his hand.  
  
'WILD BOAR!"  
  
"GRACIOUS!"  
  
"WHAT'S THAT DURNED FOOL DOIN'?"  
  
"LOOK OUT!!!!"  
  
Ryoga was too concentrated on finding his way around; he couldn't heed the warnings given to him. In a fit of frustration, the lost boy grabbed a random farmer that happened to be running for his life, "Ey, bother me for a sec, tell me where Furinkan High is?" The panicked man tried vainly to shake the oblivious young man, but the steel grip he held would not give.  
  
"YOU DANGED IDIOT!! THERE'S A WILD BOAR A' COM'N!!!!" The desperate man said in a heavy accent.  
  
"That's nice, now I figure I'm here, so would I head here..." The farmer's eyes went wide, as it saw the large beast round the corner, and stare at the impudent humans that did not flee in terror. It ducked its head once, and scratched a hoof along the ground to test the traction.  
  
"So, that a yes? I head east, or non?" Ryoga asked the frantic man before him, not hearing the gallop of 800 pounds of porcine fury.  
  
"FOR LORDS SAKES! GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!!!!" someone cried out, once the boar was upon the two standing in the middle of the street. Ryoga's swaying became more pronounced...  
  
::WHAM!!!!::  
  
"Ay, now there the Gunga!" Ryoga exclaimed, as he swayed behind the unconscious boar on a triangular step that threw his arms out to the directing he was stepping in. His right hand held the umbrella that was originally slung over the top of his book bag.  
  
"That there kid took it that beast out in one blow," one villager said in awe.  
  
"That boy must be one dem thar martial artists," another villager stated, impressed.  
  
"Hey, you do them martial arts?"  
  
Ryoga turned to the question, with a smirk on his face, "Si, Capoeirastylas is what I am."  
  
"Kapu-ar-ra-ti-ra-s?" The villagers asked in unison.  
  
"Got the time to point me to Furinkan High? Got a side bust to make..." Ryoga resheathed his umbrella, and stopped his Ginga dance in favor of his rhythmic bobbing of previous.  
____________________________  
  
Akane found herself at arms in trying to understand Ranma's technique. She had watched him consistently demolish Kuno in three fights since he had arrived, just by dancing. It just didn't make sense.  
  
Well, Akane, the greatest martial artist in Nerima, will prove the flaws in the style.  
  
As soon as Ranma stands still.  
  
"FIGHT BACK!" Akane shouted over the boom box in the Dojo. The techno beat was no less irritating than the fleet footed fiancée in front of her; it was almost as if he was dancing while she wasn't even there.  
  
"Why? Dancing's more fun," Ranma replied cheerfully, bobbing his head out of the way of a roundhouse kick, and then twisting his chest from a one-two punch combination.  
  
"But you're supposed to be SPARRING!"  
  
"Huh, oh, sorry about that," Akane gasped, and managed to successfully guard against Ranma's retaliatory strikes. Akane smirked at her success, and threw another combination of attacks at Ranma. Ranma frowned a bit as he weaved around the attacks, and returned his own, forcing Akane to guard against them.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"I don't see what's so great about your technique," Akane challenged, attacking with barely contained fury.  
  
"Are you always so competitive?" Ranma asked, dancing out of the way of his sparring partner's attacks as if they weren't there.  
  
"I'm not that competitive, HAI-YA!"  
  
"Hmm, a competitive Tomboy," Ranma retorted with mirth, snaking around Akane's leg, and attempting a few more strikes, pressing his advantage.  
  
"I'm going to make you eat those words!" Akane replied frantically blocking Ranma's returns.  
  
"It's also not good to be so mad all the time, causes wrinkles."  
  
"Why, you, you..."  
  
"My technique is has a lot going for it, you just don't understand it," Ranma replied seriously, cutting the other girl off."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It would take me a while to teach you the basics, but I think you're coming along fine," Ranma said with a smirk.  
  
"HA! As if I'm gonna learn some stupid dancing moves!"  
  
Ranma didn't reply, but kept on dancing."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well, what?"  
  
"Aren't you going to say something?" Akane was expecting some lame retort from the jerk, not silence.  
  
"Uh, how about," Ranma pondered what to say to Akane, "hmm, how's this, 'you're pretty good on your feet, you know'?"  
  
"Well I practiced footwork a..." Akane stopped dancing along with Ranma to the trance music, and growled.  
  
"With moves like that, how about we hit a Rave sometime?" Ranma chuckled as he removed his arms from around Akane's waist. He danced over to the portable stereo, and turned it off, "What did I tell ya? Wasn't dancing much more fun than trying to beat the crap out of each other?   
  
The pigtailed boy whistled as he left the dojo occupied with only a violently glowing raven-haired girl.  
____________________________  
  
"Fur-in-kan High..."  
  
"GET BACK HERE, YOU!"  
  
"Oh, comon, 'Kane-chan, you know you liked it." Ranma called back with a jovial tone.  
  
"Man, that Ranma kid's brave." One student commented  
  
"I think Akane protests too much. How can she not want the arms of such a gorgeous hunk around her?"  
  
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL THE WHOLE SCHOOL!"  
  
Ranma pouted as he leapt into the air, "But I just wanted to share... huh?" Ranma twisted himself to avoid the umbrella descending upon him.  
  
"Hello, Ranma," the boy wearing a dark brown and yellow capoeirastylas outfit greeted from the newly formed pit. With finesse, he back flipped out of it to the opposite side of Ranma.  
  
"Still like the scared rabbit, ey, Ranma?"  
  
"You know him?" Akane asked, eyeing the damage the newcomer did to the school walkway.  
  
Ranma put all his ability to ponder the question to the fore, "Tahiti, right? At the Kali Bash!"  
  
"Eh, never made it to the Kali Bash," The other young man.  
  
"Rainman Rave! Korea!!!"  
  
"What year?" the bandanna clad boy enquired.  
  
"Uh, '98?"  
  
"Wasn't scene'n till '99" The fanged young man replied in an irritated tone, "Just answer me this, why did you run out on our fight?"  
  
"Hold a sec, RYOGA? HEY! How's the skillz?"  
  
"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" Ryoga shouted; his frustration mounted to the overflow.  
  
"I held out for three days, kid..." Ranma replied guilelessly.  
  
"Three days?" Akane repeated with incredulousness.  
  
"Ay, and I would have got you on the forth day, if you didn't run away."  
  
"Why did it take you four days to get five hundred yards from your crib?"  
  
"YOU THINK I WAS OUT FOR A LEASURE? I WAS HURT'N TO MEET YOU!" Ryoga quieted his voice before continuing, "Breaking a vow between men... AND RUNNING TO CHINA WITH YOUR FATHER!"  
  
"HEY! P.L.U.R.!" Ranma shouted, sliding out of range of the umbrella swing.  
  
"I'LL GIVE YOU P.L.U.R.!" Ryoga bellowed, "I'm gonna beat you to PEACES, then I'm going to LOVE tearing you limb from limb, and I'll give UNITY to the broken parts out of RESPECT for the dead!"  
  
"Witty," Ranma commented with a smirk.  
  
"STAND STILL SO I MAY GET MY REVENGE!" Ranma swerved to the side almost bonelessly out of the way of the spinning umbrella, and then rolled his body out of the way of its return.  
  
"For my ails, I'm gonna destroy your happiness." Ryoga proclaimed, catching his umbrella.  
  
"My happiness?" Ranma mused, "Am I happy?"  
  
"So happy I think you're high on something," Akane retorted. Ranma shrugged and continued smiling.  
____________________________  
  
"These are all past the 'Sell by' date!"  
  
"Well, you *did* keep the party cold," Ranma replied, irritated.  
  
Ryoga tossed the bread away, and turned on the stereo in his book bag."  
  
"Huh? I know this beat! 'Loving You'! Sweet rhythm!" Ranma began to bob his head to the beat.  
  
Ryoga smirked as he pulled swung his umbrella to the side, and began his swaying dance, "Beware, Ranma, I'm no longer limited to my skills of Kempo. I am a true Capoeirastylas with the Christian' name; Vadier de Caos', 'The Wander of Chaos', for my style is like a storm that leads to unpredictability."  
  
"They probably named you that cause you kept getting lost," Ranma retorted dryly.  
  
"Hmph, it matters not the roda," Ryoga suddenly spun to his right at Ranma, "LE'S JOGAR!" Ryoga struck out with an 'armada' roundhouse kick with the right leg. Ranma swayed to his left under Ryoga's kick, and planted his left hand down with his left leg bent completely at the knee and his toe braced on the ground.  
  
As Ryoga's right foot landed on the ground into back position, Ranma swung his right foot across to Ryoga's ankle to trip him. The lost boy evaded by leaping somersaulting sideways to his left, and back off into his Ginga Dance.  
  
"That not be Capoeira," Ryoga stated with curiosity.  
  
"Na, Saotome School of anything Goes Rhythmer's Fist," Ranma boasted, dancing almost euphorically to the beats from Ryoga's 'boom bag'.  
  
"Wow, they're amazing," Akane voiced from the sides. Akane had heard about Capoeira, but never had been able to witness it. It was like watching a Wushu performance with power gymnastics all rolled in one. She idly wondered if Ranma's so called 'Rhythmer's Fist' would stack up to it.  
  
Ryoga nodded, and suddenly moved in, swinging his left arm in a horizontal arc, his hand cupped for a 'galopante' strike to Ranma's right ear. The pigtailed boy ducked the blow, and started to sea walk backwards out of range.  
  
Ryoga would not have that, as he brought his right hand to play, which was holding the umbrella, and swung it at Ranma's head. Ranma wormed to his left under the umbrella, and delivered a right-legged thrust kick towards his opponent.  
  
Ryoga spun to his left out of range of the kick, and planted his right hand onto the ground with the umbrella lying flat, while his left leg went into a 'meia lua de compasso' roundhouse that caught Ranma by surprise. The pigtailed boy brought his left arm up to deflect it over his head, allowing it to continue it's momentum, and took a part of it to spin to his right on planted right foot, swinging his left leg low.  
  
The lost boy barely recovered in time for Ranma's standing sweep to miss his face, and as soon as his left foot hit the back position, Ryoga dropped into a regional style 'negavita', his right leg straight with the heal on the ground, with his left leg bent and his left heal touching his butt, while his torso was straight in almost sitting position with his right hand bracing the ground. Ryoga gained some space from Ranma by switching legs and hands in the negavita, which pulled him away from his opponent, causing Ranma's back flip landing to miss it's target.  
  
The fanged boy torqued his torso to his left, and swung his right leg from under him 'rasteria' crescent kick from the ground. Ranma was still facing away from Ryoga, but leapt straight up into the splits, allowing the retaliatory attack to pass under him.  
  
Before he hoped Ranma could recover, Ryoga performed a 'macaco' backwards monkey flip, and while inverted, threw his umbrella like a javelin at his nemesis.  
  
Ranma landed just in time to turn to the side, and go into the front splits, ducking under the projectile.  
  
Both recovered as the music from Ryoga's stereo went into breakdown, "Ay, not half bad, Ranma." Ryoga commented with begrudging respect, as he swayed in his Ginga dance.  
  
"Can't say I danced so hard in a while," Ranma replied with a smirk, starting to seemingly randomly step to his own beat rhythm.  
  
"Then how 'bout we amp it some?" Ryoga's eyes got a confident gleam to them.  
  
"It's about time we started going off," Ranma's eyes matched Ryoga's.  
  
Ryoga grinned ferally, and suddenly shifted forward, planting his right hand on the ground and his left foot back, landing him in a runner's sprint. He suddenly swung the left leg back, and kicked up his right leg before the left leg connected with it, starting himself into 'gymnastics', which looked as if he were on a gymnastics pummel horse.  
  
Ranma's seemingly random stepping became wider and almost chaotic, before he all of a sudden dropped to the ground and began to dance in a Break dancer's 'six step'; landing on the ground in a crabwalk position, swinging his right leg shin over his left leg's shin, then swinging his left leg back so that it was positioned like a sprinter's stretch as he lifted his left arm out of it's way, and swung his right leg around under him in a continued motion to bring him to squatting with both hands braced in front of him. He continued it by swinging his left leg around to the front, bent at the knee, and then brought his right leg behind it, crossing them at the shins. Ranma uncrossed his legs ending back up in a crab position.  
  
"But Ryoga swings this with one hand!" Akane exclaimed to herself, "RANMA, DON'T..." Akane's voice caught in her throat, like everyone else as they witnessed the two martial artists perform feats of skill, What was more impressive what the massive battle auras they were building up, that seemed to begin to overwhelm Akane from where she was.  
  
"Kami..." Nabiki managed to squawk out in awe.  
  
Ryoga continued his Capoeira routine, building up his power to begin anew with the pigtailed boy. Ranma kept going in his tricky stepping skills, varying things for style and finesse. Their aura levels built up as the music slowly built back up. And then, the music exploded back into orgy of bass and tempo.  
  
Ryoga planted his right hand and swung his left foot out once again for a meia lua de compasso, And Ranma spun forward into an Adidas windmill. Their kicks collided; Ryoga's furiously forcing itself through, as Ranma's redirected the other attack.  
  
Ranma pushed himself into a handstand, and hand sprung away, as Ryoga went into another left footed Full moon on Compass, but this time as the kick came around, his right leg suddenly left the ground so that Ryoga's whole body was horizontal with the ground, and twisting with the momentum.  
  
Ranma spun around with a left footed thrust kick, that missed as Ryoga's attack's momentum pulled him away. Ryoga attempted to retaliate with a jumping kick with both legs, bringing them towards his rival's face. Ranma pulled back from the 'voodomorcego', and returned with his own variation of Ryoga's previous attack; his legs instead of together and his body twisting with the momentum, were splayed out in a scissor strike.  
  
Ryoga ducked under the blow with an Angola style negavita; landing on his right side with his left leg stretched out, and both hands planted in front of his stomach with his torso horizontal with the ground. Ryoga turned forward onto his left side, lashing out with his right foot. Ranma evaded by performing a horizontal space walk, while Ryoga recovered with the same move in the same direction, at the song's second breakdown.  
  
Akane and the rest of the students watched in awe. Ranma's technique was like water, absorbing and flowing around obstacles, while Ryoga was like an unstoppable juggernaut, plowing through any resistance. The students blinked as the fight suddenly began to carry them away from the sports field.  
____________________________  
  
Ryoga snapped his belt straight, then went into his Ginga dance, and spun. His motions swung the razor like belt twice into the pole.  
  
"IF YOU WEREN'T SO HURT'N TO BE IN THE..." Ranma-chan shouted  
  
"IF YOU WOULD FIGHT SERIOUSLY..." Akane cut in. Both were too preoccupied until they noticed the bicycle shed roof collapsing from under them.  
  
Ranma sacrificed Ryoga's umbrella to guard themselves against the razor edged belt.  
  
"LET ME GO!"  
  
"YOU THINK I'M HOLDING YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO?" The sound of their landing was drowned out by Akane's slap to Ranma's face.  
  
"If I'm such a nuisance, then... then..." The girl couldn't continue, and ran off.  
  
"JOGO NOT DONE YET!" Ryoga cried out, launching with an overhead strike with his belt.  
  
"Chill," Ranma-chan said with an almost calm voice, the party's mood was killed.  
  
"Akane..." Ranma approached the other girl, "Hey, 'Kane-chan."  
  
"You don't have to explain yourself. Because starting now, YOU AND I ARE STRANGERS!!!!"  
  
Silence  
  
"She's in shock?" Ranma ventured.  
  
"What do you expect," one bystander commented. As the buzz went on, Ranma felt just the teensiest bit guilty.  
  
"Feh, she didn't get an injury, did she?"  
  
"No, but she sure got a bad cut!"  
  
Silence once again  
  
"That joke was an e-mission," Ryoga replied dryly.  
  
Ranma ignored him, "Akane, if it'll cheer you up, smack me."  
  
"You got a double dose of relief," Ryoga replied, pointing to his own cheek.  
  
Akane walked off, perhaps feeling a bit better.  
  
"Agreeable, isn't she?" Ryoga commented.  
  
"Oh yeah," the redheaded girl replied.  
  
"Kinda a tomboy."  
  
"Definitely, sure is cute, though."  
  
"Ay."  
_____________________  
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Next; Shampoo  
  
Oh, on a side note, all songs in this fic can be found on the Trance Action 1 CD, which you can order from www.watermusicrecords.com. If you ask me, I'll provide you with *low* bitrate MP3s (unless I'm feeling REALLY generous), because I sincerely think this CD is well worth it for anyone who likes trance music. 


	3. Chapter 3 'Shampoo'

Ranma 1/2; 'Rhythmer's Fist'  
Shampoo  
  
::Shampoo's theme:: 'Sunrise' (3 AM Mix) by Cossmo  
  
  
Akane slowly opened her eyes, finally willing herself to focus on the incessant racket, and found herself at a table, surrounded by dozens of people in wild and exotic clothing with painted features and multiple piercings gyrating and convulsing.  
  
"WHERE ON EARTH AM I NOW!" Akane shouted, her panic slowly building. Looking off to the center of it all, she finally found a familiar face. Ranma was facing off against some guy in a white, flame themed outfit and a styled cowboy hat; both managing smooth as water trickle feats among a crowd of awed spectators. "Oh, I get it, I'm at a nightclub!" Akane was perplexed, she usually didn't dream about nightclubs, in fact she was pretty sure this night was supposed to be the one with Dr. Tofu and her routine 'checkup'. She grumbled to herself, Ranma would have to screw that up too! "Wow, they're pretty good!"  
  
Ranma's opponent backflipped out of a six-step, and landed on his hands; while still maintaining his balance, he dropped onto his forearms. Ranma spun once on his heal, then leapt onto his right hand with his left leg kicking over his right side. Both kicked to their feet, with Ranma standing casual while holding his right hand's fingertips to his forehead while his head bobbed to the set rhythm, while his opponent posed with his arms held out to his side, and his chin raised as if accepting praise.  
  
The song then ended, and the DJ's attempt to beat match to the next went into a train wreck, allowing both dancers to break off from their heavy styling. Ranma clasped the other's red gloved hand, and the both pulled each other in for a respectful hug. After a few words that Akane could obviously not hear, they both broke from the floor.  
  
The raven-haired girl watched Ranma, as he strode confidently up to the table, and sat down.  
  
"What are you doing in my dream?" Akane asked the pigtailed boy bluntly, "and why is the music so damn loud?"  
  
"For the second question, it has to be loud so it could be heard," Ranma shouted towards Akane, despite the fact that he was only less than a yard from her, "As for the first question, you probably shouldn't be telling me about your dreams. They're pretty personal, aren't they?"  
  
Akane stared at Ranma smug smile for a bit, before her eyes widened in realization, "You mean I'm NOT dreaming?" Ranma cheerfully nodded.  
  
"Oh, well then," Akane calmly shouted so Ranma could hear her, "HOW IN THE HELL DID I GET HERE?"  
  
"Well, it wasn't easy getting you out of bed while you were asleep, and your clothing selection didn't leave me with much to work with."  
  
"Huh?" Akane looked down, just now noticing she wasn't wearing the pajamas she went to bed in. and that she was in a royal blue and slightly shimmering butterfly collar button up shirt with gray slacks. The button sleeves of her shirt were buttoned invertedly as the shirt tail wasn't tucked in like the front of her shirt. She looked down to see black hose in black feminine dress shoes to complete the outfit, "Hey, not bad, but I don't recall owning any of these clothes."  
  
"Yeah, Nabiki helped me pick them out when we went shopping a couple days ago. She said your wardrobe was kinda girly."  
  
"And what's wrong with my wardrobe being kinda girly?"  
  
"Nuth'n, it's just that I don't think they completely match your personality," Ranma stated honestly, while contemplating the Tomboyish outfit Akane was currently wearing, "Oh, and the glitter will come out of your hair in a wash."  
  
"Glitter in my..." Akane mumbled, and then a realization hit, "YOU DRESSED ME, YOU PERVERT!" Akane stood up, gripping the edge of the table, ready to heave it.  
  
"Nope, Nabiki did, she said she's had to do it to you a few times before," Ranma shrugged, and then took out a bottle of water and began drinking.  
  
"Oh. Wait a minute, why am I here, anyway?"  
  
Ranma set his waterbottle on the table before answering, "It's your turn. I took Kasumi out the first night, she really enjoyed herself. Last night was Nabiki."  
  
"Oh, so you kidnapped them like you did me?"  
  
"Nope, they went willingly, though it took a bit of coaxing on Kasumi's part, but I think she doesn't regret it. You, on the other hand, I kinda figured was too much of an uptight Tomboy to agree with..."  
  
"TOMBOY, AM I?" Akane barked, lifting up the table. She blinked when she now noticed the redhead standing in the pigtailed boy's place.  
  
Ranma made googly eyes at Akane, ignoring the clatter of her waterbottle as it hit the ground, "You wouldn't hit cute, cuddly, lil' me, would you?"  
  
A glowing multicolored stream slammed into the table Akane was holding up, startling both girls.  
  
"Is no problem," Ranma jolted bolt right at the familiar voice, "Cute Japanese Tomboy girl want Shampoo to kill Ranma for you?" The redhead in question got a sickly nervous grin on her face, as she slowly turned to see a Chinese girl with glitter sparkling lavender hair, A tight 'Powerpuff Girls' t-shirt with baggy canvas fabric pants that flared at the bottom, several neon glowing bracelets around her wrists, and a pacifier on a string around her neck. She smirked as she raised her neon glowing bonbori towards Ranma to point.  
  
"Ranma, I kill."  
  
"N-now wait, Shampoo," Ranma stuttered, "we can't fight here! Toom many people could get hurt!"  
  
"Is no problem," the Amazon replied confidently, and then drove her bonbori through a table next to her, causing a *large* circle to clear around them, "See? They nice enough to give us room."  
  
"Shampoo," Ranma addressed the girl resignedly, "this.. is bunk!" With that, the redhead launched a table at the Amazon.  
  
A third table was destroyed by the Amazon candy raver, and she scouted around for her quarry, "WHERE RANMA!"  
  
Everyone nearby pointed to the exit.  
  
"Bad!" The Chinese girl ran out the exit in pursuit. Once she was gone, Ranma dropped from under the table he was clinging to, and let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Props, didn't think she would get out here without a major scene," Ranma addressed some of the people standing around.  
  
"It's cool, girl, you looked kinda sketchy." One girl stated.  
  
"Yeah, that purple haired girl looked pretty tweeked at you."  
  
"What the hell are they saying?" Akane shouted in confusion.  
  
"I guess there's no after-party this time. Let's head on back home, 'Kane-chan. I'll explain some things in the morning.  
__________________________________  
  
"She's got some heavy bass," Ranma-chan thought, as she bobbed to her stereo, and watched the lavender haired girl duel with some feminine monstrosity upon a log. The former proved the victor by sending her opponent rocketing into the sky.  
  
"Uh, sir, what you eating?" Their guide asked curiously. Ranma turned to see a panda munching on a vast food spread, and by the tone of the guide's voice, that wasn't a good thing.  
__________________________________  
  
"So, all I gotta do is defeat her, and we have no problem, right?" The redhead set down her portable stereo, and cranked the volume, much to several of the villagers' chagrins.  
  
Ranma-chan hopped onto the log, and began bouncing to the music. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes and started to dance.  
  
"What is this outsider idiot doing?" Shampoo thought to herself, as she jumped onto the log to meet the match. The Amazon champion started to become furious at the lack of attention her opponent was giving her, instead choosing to give it towards that rhythmic noise that was probably termed by the tone death as 'music'.  
  
"The sooner I punish this outsider, the sooner I can turn that damn racket off!" Ranma didn't seem to pay attention to the other girl as she charged forward.  
  
Nobody was really sure what happened, all everyone saw was the redhead perform a spin to her dance, just as Shampoo was about to strike, and the next moment, their former champion was skidding across the town circle off the log. The redhead continued dancing  
__________________________________  
  
"Hunt you to the ends of the earth?" Akane repeated, finding it hard to take the pigtailed boy seriously.  
  
"Yeah, cutie was pretty persistant too, not that she could punch my ticket," Ranma said with a grin.  
  
"Too bad there's a certain old lady who can keep you from staying wet," Akane said dryly to the redhead before her.  
  
Ranma turned to Akane to retort,leaned back to allow a neon bonbori to pass safely by and pulverize the wall, and turned her head to greet the newcomer, "Hey Shampoo."  
  
"Nihao, 'Little Red'," Shampoo replied smugly.  
  
Ranma-chan raised an eyebrow, while still leaning back, "So that's how you found me so fast."  
  
"Is easy find champion Redhead dancer in Japan." Shampoo replied casually, then jerked her lodged mace down towards the other girl's stomach. Ranma-chan spun away on her heel, allowing her to get some distance between her and Akane for the latter's sakes.  
  
"I'm flattered, a groupie!" Ranma commented as she weaved rhythmically through the attacks, "You're even trying to imitate my style, sweet!"  
  
"Shampoo learn much from Japanese clubs," Shampoo suddenly spun on her left heel and then slid her right foot across the ground and into between Ranma's feet. Shampoo's right bonbori managed to send the redhead rocketing backwards.  
  
Ranma managed to gain her bearings before her back smashed against the wall, and braced her feet against it. Instead of launching back foward, she kept a bit of the momentum built from being hurled to the wall, and back flipped onto the top of it.  
  
"You... you hit me..." Ranma said with no little bit of awe. That managed to irk Shampoo quite a bit.  
  
"You no is good as Ranma think!" Shampoo rushed to meet her redheaded target, and Ranma jumped down from the wall to meet her charge.  
  
Ranma pulled her left side away from Shampoo's right cross, and attempted to slide steeply into the lavender haired girl's left side. Shampoo countered by crossing her left leg back in front of her right leg, and leaning towards the redhead with her left side, swinging her left bonbori upwards towards her opponent's chin. Ranma faded back with a retreating left foot step, turning to her left as she did.  
  
The Redhead came back around with a left elbow aimed for Shampoo's sternum. The Amazon slid past it to the outside, her back managing to find her opponent's.  
  
Ranma and Shampoo sat swayed with their backs together side to side in a two beat pattern, twisting their back slightly towards the direction they would move in, while waiting for the other to make their move from the stalemate.  
  
"Little Red just delay Shampoo revenge."  
  
"Cutie, you're just not up to tempo," Ranma countered, and leaned foward just as Shampoo broke away, and attempted a back swing with her right bonbori. Shampoo continued turning with her left Bonbori being thrust towards the ducked girl's back. Ranma's right leg slid far out to the right, and the redhead glided the rest of her body to follow it out of the path of the swing.  
  
Shampoo continued to move into a right side snap kick, which Ranma leapt over in the splits. Missing the initial kick, Shampoo snapped the same leg at the airborne girl, only to have her force herself to land, bending backwards at the knees and looking up at the Amazon with a sly smirk. Before Shampoo could readjust herself for another attack, Ranma-chan went ito a backspin, and then into a helicopter spin, forcing Shampoo to move away. Ranma continued into a straight hand spin, before pushing off back to her feet.  
  
Shampoo launched at the other girl with her right, forcing Ranma to dodge to the left with a sway. Shampoo swung her right out to catch the girl as she seemed offbalance, only to have Ranma snake smoothly under it back directly in front of Shampoo's face. Shampoo's grin matched the girls, and the candy raver rolled her body diagonally against the other girl's.  
  
Ranma blinked, slightly confused at Shampoo's rather pleasant move, and found herself with a face full of elbow. Ranma recovered into a back hand spring and then a backflip, and rubbed her jaw. Shampoo was dancing sensuously, as she twirled her bonbori around; the glowing orbs even left dazzling trails of light in the daytime.  
  
"Ranma soon know that Shampoo superior, learn she no defy Amazon strength."  
  
"Gotta say, you can groove, but you ain't up to my style," Ranma started to skip around like she was about to get down and breakdance, and got a serious look on her face, "After all, I bet you're not as fast as me."  
  
"Hmph, Shampoo more fast as..." that was all she got out as she watched the dustrail descend, "BAD! RANMA! YOU COME BACK!!!!" With that, the Amazon hunter took off in pursuit.  
  
"That had to be one of the strangest fights I had ever seen..." Akane mused.  
__________________________________  
  
"Hey, candy! No ball in the house!" Ranma shouted, delivering a vertical kick to the bonbori's head, sending it flying into the air. Everyone gasped, as they watched it descend down towards Shampoo's head, and into Ranma's waiting hand.  
  
"Almost got a nasty boo boo there, Candy!" Ranma smirked at the dumbfounded girl, and then subtly snaked his leg behind hers and tripped her. He just couldn't resist the opening.  
  
"You... you defeat Shampoo," the Amazon stated with slight emotion.  
  
Ranma shrugged, and tossed the sphere in hand up and down, "Eh, that's stretching it a bit, there."  
  
"Yeah, all he did was trip you! It's not like he knocked you out or killed you!" Akane added, worried that the girl may start chasing his male form now.  
  
Shampoo ignored what they were saying, as she got up, staring dumbfounded at Ranma, and then approached him. The pigtailed boy was frozen to the spot, as the girl took him by the cheek, and kissed him... on the lips.  
  
Everyone gasped, mainly at the boldness in which Ranma decided to return the embrace, that even took Shampoo immidiatly by surprise.  
  
"Ag, weater being too hot for a feverrd kisses, better chill, esse," Ryoga said with a smirk, dousing the couple. Shampoo blinked, as she was forced to adjust height of her kiss.  
  
"Want another to be sure?" Ranma-chan said with nervous mirth, before the Amazon fainted.  
__________________________________  
  
"I'm not talk'n to you," Akane growled, looking away from the pigtailed girl.  
  
"I'm sorry, K-Chan, I'll make it up to you," Ranma-chan apologised sheepishly.  
  
"You going to kidnap me again?"  
  
"Na, something more immidiate." Before Akane could reply, she found herself in an intense lip lock. It was so immidiate, that she didn't realize that she was supposed to be disliking it for a few moments.  
  
"YOU PERVERT!" The raven-haired girl screeched, "WE'RE BOTH GIRLS!!!!"  
  
Ranma looked down at herself, "Whoopsie." Ranma sighed, and stepped deep into Akane's range, well inside the mallet's descent, "You know? You're gonna have to learn to control that temper of yours."  
  
"You... you... you..." was all Akane managed to get out, literally glowing with rage girl.  
  
"You know? Your swaying is getting better, just took a while to loosen those hips, huh?" Akane's aura flared twice as bright as her rage became blinding from finding herself dancing with the redhead.  
  
Ranma pulled her into a smooth dip, just as a bonbori passed over both their heads. Ranma continued to stare into Akane's furious eyes, "Good morning, Candy."  
  
"RANMA! DIE!" Candy... er... Shampoo screamed, as she went into a furious barrage of attacks, forgetting her dicipline that she had cultivated in order to battle the redhead.  
  
Ranma almost casually kept dancing with Akane, while avoiding the blows from her attacker. To add insult, Ranma switched partners to Kasumi, as she walked in to check on Shampoo's welfare.  
  
"I see Shampoo's awake now," Kasumi replied with a slight giggle, as she was lead around by the shorter girl, who was easily avoiding the attacks directed towards her.  
  
"Akane, see what happens when you fight angry?" Ranma-chan said off-handedly. Before Akane could retort negatively, she stopped, and realized something; Shampoo wasn't coming anywhere close to hurting the redhead as she did before.  
  
"What, what's this?" the short haired girl enquired, "Is it because... Shampoo's mad?"  
  
"You've been a wonderful partner, I mean that Kasumi," Ranma-chan stated with a bow, just as Shampoo's kick sailed over her head.  
  
"Anytime, I don't get to dance much, I'm afraid" Kasumi said with a touch of wistfulness.  
  
"You've got exellent form, you have to dance more than you're letting on."  
  
"Oh, I guess I like to pretend when I'm cleaning."  
  
"SHAMPOO WILL NOT BE IGNORED!!!" The Amazon screemed. Ranma blinked, and turned her attentions towards the girl, blinking as if she didn't realize she was there, "Oh? 'Sup, Candy?"  
  
Shampoo growled, and was about to attack again, before realizing she let her temper get the best of her, which wasn't something the future leader of the Amazons could afford to do, "You get Shampoo riled up on purpose." Ranma shrugged non-committadly.  
  
"Then, Shampoo teach you what happens when anger Amazon womans," Shampoo wrapped her arms around her chest, and began to sway to a rhythm she was only privy to.  
  
"Uh, you're gonna give her a strip tease?" Akane asked, wondering what was going on. Ranma looked just as puzzled. Slowly, Shampoo began to increase tempo, and started to speak, "Behold Amazon modified Raver technique; Too too powerful that Amazon elders look with awe."  
  
"Ah, so it is a strip tease, gonna give old geezers heart attacks shaking it like that!" Ranma suddenly blinked, as her vision became fuzzy.  
  
"You learn folly now," Shampoo continued with a cold voice, "Splitting Cat Hairs revised; Amazon Rave Strobe!" Suddenly, Shampoo began to blur into after images while still dancing, with each one having a visual strobe effect.  
  
"Oh... my, I need to sit down," Kasumi stated first, slowly sinking to the floor against the wall. Akane followed next, barely able to keep her footing as she started to experience a sense of vertigo.  
  
Ranma-chan found herself succombing, but couldn't turn her sight away from Shampoo's dance, "If I fall, it'll be the end of me!" Ranma continued to stand defiantly against, and took an unsteady foot foward.  
  
Shampoo scowled cutely, "You is strong, but will fall." She increased her dancing, and the effect was immidiatly apparent. Ranma tumbled to her knees, but gained a strange glint in her eye, as she pulled herself to standing rather easily, and began dancing.  
  
"Huh? What happen?" Shampoo asked out loud, before increasing her dance again, now there was nothing but a strobing blur.  
  
"You shouldn't have increased it," Ranma said with a smirk, as she began to match Shampoo's rhythm, "I figured out a counter because of it. Just have to sync myself to your rhythm to not be affected by it."  
  
Shampoo desisted in her technique, and narrowed her eyes, "Then Shampoo deal with Ranma old fashioned way."  
  
The lavender haired girl leaped to attack, barely keeping in control of her anger. Ranma dodged frantically, finding the girl was not using her anger as a focus, and now managing to come pretty close. She realized this too late, as she was pinned against the wall, with Shampoo's bonbori raised and heading straight for her face. The redhead wasn't really too concerned, but she didn't want to get blamed for the property damage about to happen...  
  
"You know? I wonder what your laws would say about harming your 'Airen'..." Ranma commented on this on a hunch; as she and Akane were watching over the girl, she mumbled the name in the same sentence as Ranma's, with a happy smile on her face. Apparently it was something important to her referring to the redhead.  
  
The weapon stopped about an inch from Ranma's unphased expression, and then clattered to the ground. Shampoo still had her arm extended, and a wide eyed and fearful expression on her face.  
  
"Have a thing for my guy side, do ya?" Ranma stated with a smug expression, and then dodged out of the way of a thrown lamp.  
  
"Idiot, show some compassion!" Akane huffed, she was going to have to do something about his insensitivity.  
  
Before anything else could be said, Shampoo shoved Ranma out of the way, and leapt out the window and into the evening.  
  
"I guess there was more to this than I figured," the redhead mused, scratching her head, as she looked out the window.  
__________________________________  
  
"RANNNNNNNMMMMMAAAAAAA!!!!!!" The pigtailed boy was awakened by a refreshing splash from a pail of water, and found a heavily agitated Akane standing over him.  
  
"Uh, something up, K-Chan? Couldn't the cold rinse wait till I was in the bathroom, or did you want to see me in a wet shirt?" The redhead raised an eyebrow in humor, as she watched the girl grow even redder in the face. That's when she also noted a warm body laying with her.  
  
"Um... did you put this here?" Akane's expression proved the answer to that one, and he lifted the covers to find a stirring Shampoo.  
  
"Airen..." the Amazon greeted the redhead with a smile.  
  
"Uuuuhhhh, huh?" Ranma intelligently replied, slightly puzzled by current events.  
  
"Shampoo do important thinking, is better have Ranma as husband, yes?" 


	4. Chapter 4 'Ukyo'

Ranma 1/2  
Rhythmer's Fist  
'Ukyo'  
  
  
::Theme for Ukyo and her crew; 'Recovery' by Tozer::  
  
  
  
  
"Now what's a pretty lil' thing like you doing out after dark like this?" One of the punks wearing animal masks asked the exorbantly dressed young woman, wearing a tight forest green that was more for hiding her modesty than support under her red fishnet tee shirt. She wore red metallic pants with matching kung-fu slipper, along with wrist bands of the same material. Her ponytail was done at the top of her head, and woven into it every so often were red, green, and metallic beads.  
  
"I was getting supplies that you so rudely relieved me of," the girl challenged, with her back still against the brick wall. Ranma had been swaying to the rhythm in his own private rave, when it was interrupted by the conversation on the other side of the wall. With curiousity, The pigtailed boy paused, to listen to more.  
  
"Awww, we're so sorry, allow us to help you carry them back to our place, sweetie!" The second one stated with saccarine sweetness. Ranma figured what was about to happen, but decided to see how far it could play out before requiring his intervention.  
  
"No, thank you, I have appointments to keep," the girl stated firmly, and attempted to lightly shove the punk in front of her away.  
  
"But our place is just soooo much closer!" a third one stated in a way that brooked no argument, and grabbed the girl roughly by the arm. The young girl bobbed her head one side, and then to the other, as if she had just caught a catchy rhythm.  
  
That was the signal that Ranma needed; before he could act, however, the pigtailed boy felt... another beat.  
  
The other three punks stared incredulously, as their leader that attempted to accoust the girl was on the other side of the wall. Ranma blinked, and stared through the comical hole that was created by his passing... right through it.  
  
"Another practitioner!" Ranma thought to himself, looking at the girl who was standing straight with her arms folded, but her eyes closed with her head bobbing. She had a style that seemed subdued to Ranma, like Shinobi. The other punks decided that their attentions would be more constructive elsewhere, lest their bodys be used also for destructive purposes.  
  
The girl sniffed in distain, allowing her metallic sheen contacts to glitter from the street lights; she was one of Ukyo's crew, if they only knew what touching her would bring upon them.  
  
"Hey!" Ranma called out, alerting the girl to his presence. She acted on instinct, and lashed out with her foot. Ranma barely saw her move, and rolled to the inside of the side thrust kick. The girl was surprised to find the pigtailed boy dodging her, and torqued her leg over into a crescent kick. Ranma turned to face the oncoming kick, and dropped backwards with his right leg shooting up to kick the girl's leg at the knee. Instead of recieving punishment to her knee, the girl leapt into the air away from the other boy into a half gator, and landed facing away. Ranma had his left foot planted flat on the ground with the shin straight up, while his leg bent at the knee with the other leg crossed over it. The pigtailed boy had his arms crossed behind his head like he was resting, but with his body inclined diagonally with his left leg supplying the rise.  
  
"Who are you?" the girl enquired; she had never seen anyone other than Ukyo-sama evade her attack like that.  
  
Ranma smirked from his resting position, "Ranma, Saotome Ranma." The girl blinked, and suddenly dissappeared in a puff of smoke. Ranma himself blinked at the abrupt dissappearance, "Hmm, she was sure friendly..."  
______________________________________  
  
"Ukyo-sama," the girl called out into the large room that looked in the midst of renovation.  
  
"You're late," a distinguished voice called out from what looked to be a bar being repaired, it was hard to make out in the darkness, "Did you get some light bulbs?"  
  
"Yes, and something else you may enjoy."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Saotome, Ranma." Ukyo's gring could almost be felt in the dark.  
  
Arc of fire ignited in her position, its trail fading as it passed. Holding a burning fan, stood a lovely young woman wearing a full blood red hanging sleeve kimono with a navy blue obi. Ukyo's eyes seemed to dance from the fire's light flickering off of them. "Tell me more," she commanded in a slightly pleasant voice.  
______________________________________  
  
"And she just dissappeared?" Akane asked, a bit sceptical of Ranma's story.  
  
"Yup, the pigtailed boy stated as they both walked home from school, "I think she must have been some sort of Kunoichi or something, she was pretty good and she knows the Rhythm."  
  
"Well, I can't say I'm too upset about it, I mean she did scare off the neighborhood bullies," the short-haired girl replied as they continued their trek home. Unknown to them, a figure up on the rooftops continued to tail them. Its mission was not to engage, but to make sure they recieved the invitation its mistress commanded it to issue.  
  
Both Ranma and Akane walked into the Tendou home, and a few seconds later, a figure dressed in a slightly tattered ninja's uniform dropped down, and attached the note to the door. Once its mission was accomplished, it leapt back into the trees and to its home destination.  
  
A few seconds later, a figure dressed in a stylish red Ninja's uniform dropped out from her hiding place, and glanced irritably to the direction the short black garbed ninja took off to. She went up to the door and pulled the note off that was addressed to Ranma from a Kodachi Kuno. She rolled her eyes, crumpled the paper up, and attached her own note to the door.  
  
Kodachi would just have to miss Ranma this time, Ukyo had other plans for him tonight.  
______________________________________  
  
"You are invited to the grand opening of Ucchans Verinda," Nabiki read out loud, as she walked into the house. Ranma was sitting in front of the TV, and perked up at the name.  
  
"Nabiki, you say Ucchan?"  
  
"That's the name of the club," the middle Tendou sister replied.  
  
"Oh, a club? What kind?" Kasumi asked, curious to the new business opening near them.  
  
"I guess some sort of nightclub, and it opens tonight."  
  
Ranma was in front of Nabiki and Kasumi before they even realized he had gotten off of the couch, "Sounds tight, girls wanna go?"  
  
Both Nabiki and Kasumi looked at each other, and replied in unison, "Sure."  
  
"Husband too, too nice to take Shampoo and friends to nightclub!"  
  
"Ah, hey Shampoo, nice of ya to tag along!" Ranma greeted, doing an impressive job of hiding the startledness of Shampoo's sudden appearance.  
  
"What's going on down here?" Akane asked, walking downstairs and paused, "Oh, Shampoo, what are you doing here?"  
  
The lavender haired girl smirked towards the raven-haired one before replying, "Ranma take Shampoo and Akane sisters to much dancing tonight." Shampoo's smirk got deeper, "No-beat girl want come too?"  
  
Akane's brow furrowed, but managed to keep her reply reletively calm, "No-beat girl?"  
  
"Is right, yes?" Shampoo replied, innocently, "You have more left feet than yak, and move like one, too."  
  
"Ouch, harsh," Ranma whispered to Nabiki and Kasumi. Both girls only nodded in reply.  
  
Akane's temper continued to steadily rise without guage, "I'll just let you know, that I happen to be a GREAT dancer, thank you!"  
  
Shampoo blinked, and nodded in approval, "Shampoo see, Akane not so no-beat girl after all."  
  
"Huh?" Akane asked, puzzled, "You haven't even seen me dance... he's behind me, isn't he?" Shampoo, Nabiki, and Kasumi nodded. "Ranma, would you be so kind as to remove your hands from my waist BEFORE I BREAK YOUR WRISTS?!"  
  
"Chill, chill," Ranma placated, as he removed his hands from Akane so that she wasn't dancing with him anymore, "Just helping you to prove a point." Ranma flipped over Akane and onto the base of the stairs before the girl's swing could connect with him, "So, I guess we're all going to Ucchan's tonight? Sweet!"  
______________________________________  
  
Ranma, Shampoo, Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi arrived at the front entrance of Nerima's new nightclub. There was already an extensive line to get in, as many were starved to check out the newest addition to the area's nightlife. From the outside, a hard trance beat was permeating the air; everything that it came in contact pulsed with the heady four time beat that affected human bodies in a pleasant manner. Before even entering, adrenaline was running on high just from anticipation.  
  
It was an old warehouse that had been turned into a verinda some time ago, and then renovated recently to become what it was now. The dark outside was lit by a few halogen lights against the walls under weather shelters, and the stylistic and bold neon light that announced the name of the club that every youth in Nerima wanted in.  
  
Nabiki noted that the invitation was only for four people, and suggested that it should be a 'girl's night out.' From the unanimous vote against him, and the accusing glares the four girls were giving him, Ranma presumed it was more for keeping potential poachers off their perspective territory than any other excuse for prudence.  
  
They each came with their own dress styles that Ranma assisted with helping them choose. Ranma herself wore a modified version of her usual red and black ensemble, but instead of the frogs fascened, a gold chain connected each to the complimenting hole on the other side, while her pants were shimmering windpants, and her slippers were glittering. Nabiki's outfit considted of a burgundy blouse with a navy blue vest left open that came down to her mid drift. She wore matching navy blue dress slacks with black slight heeled shoes. Kasumi wore low cut off-white blouse with a red hankerchief in the pocket. She complimented it with a dark red wraparound skirt with stalkings and off-white buckle high heeled shoes. Akane wore a white polo shirt with a dress silver shimmering dress shirt over it that was unbuttoned exept for the two near the middle. Her shirt cuffs remained unbuttoned, and she wore form-hugging black velvet pants wtih designer sneakers. She silently wondered to herself why Ranma hadn't had her wear a more femanine outfit. Shampoo came in a white babydoll t-shirt with a Super girl logo on it in pink. Her hair was coated in glitter that seemed to catch every light in the place. She completed her outfit in pink kung fu slippers, and heavy baggy jeans.  
  
The five girls walked up to the front of the line, much to the angered chagrins of patrons that had been waiting for a while yet, and flashed the VP invitation to the security, just as it had instructed them to. the large men nodded, and opened a second door that hadn't been opened up all night.  
  
"Wow, it's an elevator," Akane exclaimed as the girls walked in.  
  
"Yeah, pretty posh, too," Nabiki replied, pushing a hand against the cushioned leather wall of the elevator, and estimating how much such a thing would cost.  
  
"This too, too nice, Shampoo no go in VP elevator before. Is 'Little Red' first time too?"  
  
Ranma-chan shrugged, "Na, I'm pretty descently known nowadays, so I get props."  
  
The elevator's short ride ended, and opened up to a balcony that overlooked the rest of the dancefloor. Among the immense span was a sea of people, dancing as they could to the rhythmic vibes that enticed its listener to move in it's power. Neon blue lights encased in glass railings were the guide rails around the dancefloor, while the floor itself was made of light up panel that flashed a soft yellow to blue, and to red on the beat. The floor lights were accompanied by a dazzling light show that reflected off of strategically placed mirrors and strobed the massive floor area for an asthetic effect that didn't boggle the senses, but intermingled with the rest of the atmosphere to enhance the mood. It was a powerful sight below them that took the Tendou Girl's breaths away. Never had they been privy to experiencing such an ordeal.  
  
"Oh my," Kasumi exclaimed, as she looked down with slight anxiety.  
  
"Wow," Nabiki followed, after managing to regain her breath.  
  
"We... are going to be in that?" Akane shouted over the music nervously.  
  
"Not unless you want to," A voice said behind them. All five girls turned to see a light brown haired girl dressed in a white blouse that was frilly at the neck and cuffs, and tight pink leather pants that flaired at the bottom, "I see you recieved a VIP invitation..." The girl seemed to pause, as she looked over the girls, "Um, shouldn't there be one more of you?"  
  
"Huh? I thought this was only for four..." Ranma paused, as she noted Nabiki, Shampoo, and Akane's glare, "er, five people."  
  
"Um, I mean five cute girls such as yourselves should have a guy with you," the girl recovered, attempting not to cause suspicion, "Anyway, you can take the walkway to the stage that's fenced off from the rest of the dancers in the middle of the floor there. Only our invited guests are allowed in there." The girls looked towards the center, seeing the dancefloor that was being refered to. The floor stayed a constant soft white, and though it was a large area, it had no inhabitants. The only way to get to it was the bridge that lead to a spiraling and sparkling stairway that descended into it.  
  
"Coool!" Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi said at once. The girls made their way to the designated dance floor, unnoticing their hostess pull out a cellphone.  
  
"Ukyo-sama, Ranma's not with them."  
______________________________________  
  
Ukyo sat in the managerial balcony, and watched the five girls enter the danceway, She clicked her tongue in slight annoyance, and brought the cellphone back to her ear, "Don't worry about it, just keep an eye out for him, alright?"  
  
She put up the phone, and folded her hands over her lap, "Damn you, Ranma Saotome. Just like you to keep a girl waiting."  
______________________________________  
  
As soon as they hit the ground, Ranma and Shampoo were moving to the groove, quickly becoming lost in themselves. Nabiki tentatively joined in, though much more reserved until she built up a bit more nerve at being in the center of attention. Kasumi surprisingly threw caution to the wind and danced in a way that could only be considered provacatively scandelous. Akane looked on nervously, and became self concious. They were in the middle of it all, and though she could dance okay in her own opinion, Ranma and Shampoo totally outclassed her. The raven-haired girl ended up hugging the stairway and bobbing her head to the music.  
  
The girl with the ponytail, wearing a metallic reflective gold vest and pant set over a read blouse, looked from where she was about to change music tracks and down to the dancefloor. Her eyes narrowed, as she caught sight of the five *girls* that habited it, with no boys in sight. Her eyebrows raised, as she noticed one of them.  
  
Her look turned to the door girl at the VIP elevator, and as if just knowing, the other girl turned to look back. The girl running the turntables jerked her head to the center stage, and mouthed 'Little Red'. The other girl's eyebrows raised, and she turned to look. She caught sight of the redheaded girl, who was completely outstyling the other four girls on the floor.  
  
The door girl's expression grew into a smirk, as she nodded her head towards the center floor. The other girl nodded back, and motioned one of the other DJs to come up to the booth. She gave instructions on what she wanted played next, and then walked off.  
______________________________________  
  
The majority of the crowd was now watching the center stage, and the girls who were grooving it up with serious style. Akane stared in amazement, as even Nabiki began to lose her reservations, and started dancing lively. What really was throwing the youngest Tendou daughter for a loop, was the way Kasumi shook her behind, jerking it side to side at the punctuation of each lead heavy bass beat, while her arms twisted sensuously in the air above her head.  
  
Ranma and Shampoo were holding an impromptu dance-off; taking turns to show off some of their moves. Right when Shampoo was about to take her turn, from on high, a girl leapt down and landed kneeling between them. A second girl, which Akane recognized as the one that met them at the door, strode down the stairway and towards Ranma and Shampoo.  
  
The two newcomers came to stand next to each other about five feet apart, turned towards each other, and nodded. In unison, they skipped to the left, then skipped to the right on beat. The then slid smoothly left, then right in the same beat, leapt into the air, and landed on their left foot with their right foot kicked out to the side. They switched feet, kicking their left foot out with their right foot braced on the ground, and then switching back; getting lower as they did so. Once they were in squatting position, they lept up in sync, landed on their heels, twisted on their heels to the right while twisting their torso to the left as they put their own left fist against their right fist at their chests. They then finished by skidding back, dragging their right feet on the heels with their right hands out in gesture to Ranma with their heads bowed.  
  
Ranma nodded in approval, as the crowd the performance; the redhead couldn't leave this challenge unanswered. She motioned Shampoo to keep out of it. and began to step wide, signifying she was about to breakdance.  
  
Ranma suddenly began to go into a tricky series of steps, and then leapt into the air. She landed solidly, and pumped her arms at chest level. She rolled her body and kicked her right leg at the end of it. She then swung her right leg back, and flipped forward, landing on her hands and left foot in a crab position with the right leg straight out in front. She planted her right foot out straight, and twisted to her right with her left leg still bent. She turned back down to land her left foot, and began to six step. Half way through it, she swung her right leg under her in a sweep, pushed herself up slightly into the air and spun once horizontally. She landed on her hands and toes, with her body straight out, continued the rest of her six step, and then leapt up and kicked her feet straight into the air. She landed on her right forearm, and then suddenly dropped it down onto the right side of her neck and shoulder, still holding her balance with her legs out almost in the side splits. She kicked her feet together, launcher her back up into an upright position, held her arms out to the side, and then bowed her head and dropped her arms down at the same time.  
  
Ranma-chan entrage stood, wide eyed. Even Shampoo was clearly impressed. The crowd apparently agreed with their sentiments, as they wee roaring even louder than before.  
  
The two challengers looked at each other with raised eyebrows, and then their expressions grew a bit more serious. In sync, they turned to the right, shaking their right hand, and then to the left with their right hand pointing to the left, still shaking. They hopped into a skip, spun in opposite directions, and then leapt and landed on their backs, with their legs folded up to their torsos. They kicked back up leapt up and twisted into a half gator. They then landed on their right hands and spun. The both pushed off back to their feet, and then did an arm plant with their left hands in unison.  
  
Ranma clapped, and started to skip around in trucky steps. She dropped down and went into a flare, and then into an adidas windmill. She kicked her legs up and herself into a spinning hand stand, and then lowered herself onto her head. She spread her legs to the side for balance, and planted her hands on the side of her head. She twisted her legs one way, and then back the other, while helping herself into the spin with her hands. She repeated this several times, until she was in a solid headspin, and begun to unfasten her shirt. Everyone watched, impressed, as she removed her shirt to reveal a black sports bra, and tossed it to Kasumi, who caught it without flinching. Ranma pulled her legs in, causing her spin to become tighter and faster, and then planted her hands on the ground after several seconds, pushed herself up quickly, and dropped onto her back for a backspin. After a few seconds of that, she kicked herself up to kneeling, with her chin resting on her fist in pose.  
  
The lights went out suddenly, and just as instantly came on. Between the two challenging dancers, stood a young lady with long chestnut hair, wearing a snow white kimono with an emerald green obi. "Impressive," she said in a collected tone, "For your skills on the floor, I openly invite you to attend Ucchans anytime you like without cost." She gestured to the two girls at her side, "This is Konatsu" she said pointing to the one in the gold ensemble, "and this is Tsubasa," the girl in the blouse nodded her head, "May I ask your name, sugar? For the permenant VIP list."  
  
Konatsu could answer, the redhead spoke up, "Print it as, 'Lil Red', but the name's Ranma Saotome."  
  
Konatsu, Ukyo, and Tsubasa froze, and then repeated in unison, "RANMA SAOTOME?!?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm popular," the redhead beamed.  
  
"And egotistical," Akane grumbled.  
  
"But... you're a girl!" Ukyo said incredulously, "You mean to tell me that you are the child of Genma Saotome?"  
  
Ranma began to get nervous, "Uh, what did the old man do this time?"  
  
"You...." Ukyo hissed, "You left me behind, all those years ago."  
  
"Huh?" Ranma replied, "I can't say I remember you, doll."  
  
"So, you've forgotten me since when we were little kids, huh?" Ukyo quizzed forcefully, "I guess best friends never keep their promises, huh?"  
  
"Best..." Ranma mouthed to herself, before something clicked, "UCCHAN! OKONOMIYAKI UCCHAN!!!!"  
  
"So, you remember me," Ucchan hissed.  
  
"Uhhh, Jusenkyo?"  
  
Ucchan paused for a sec, and turned to look at Konatsu, who shrugged and mouthed 'I don't know'. She then turned back to Ranma and shook her head slightly.  
  
"Uh, cross-dresser?"  
  
"What the hell are you babbling about?" Ukyo shouted.  
  
"Well, you're supposed to be a guy!"  
  
"And you're not supposed to ge a girl!" Ukyo began to growl, "You mean to tell me, that my father engaged me to ANOTHER GIRL?!?"  
  
"ENGAGED?!?" Ranma shouted in surprise, "Oh Pop, we're gonna discuss this..."  
  
"ENOUGH!" Ukyo drew Ranma's attention back to herself, "FOR MY DISHONOR, I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! BEHOLD! THE KUNOICHI SCHOOL OF THE SPARROW FANS!" Ukyo spun once, and produced two long beams about half her length in each hand, and slapped them together. A spark of flame ignited, and she ran forward at Ranma, becoming encased in a fire comet, "FLAMING SPARROW!!!!"  
  
Ranma leapt into the air and into a half gator, before the ball of flame collided with him. She landed at the same time Ukyo came to a stop. Ukyo's beams opened up into oversized fans, which were used to snuff the flames encasing her.  
  
"RANMA!" Shampoo, Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi shouted out at once in alarm.  
  
Ranma began to skip back and forth in stance, As Ukyo seemed to glide towards the redhead. Ranma turned to her left, crossing her right leg over the other, and then twisted to her right, launching herself into a spin kick. Ukyo spun to the outside of it, and committed a horizontal swipe with her left fan. Ranma dropped down into a left leg sweep, that went through Ukyo's legs as if they weren't tangible, but kicking up the kimono as they passed through. Ukyo drew both her oversized fans back, and swiped at Ranma. The redhead leapt high into the air, tumbling and twisting, and landed a good distance away, staring at her once childhood friend in surprise.  
  
Ukyo seemed to glide once again towards Ranma, and the pigtailed girl met her head on. Ukyo flicked her wrists, and several smaller fans spun towards Ranma. She weaved around the projectiles, and leaned towards Ukyo with a backfist. Ukyo parried the blow with a fluidness and grace few of them had ever seen, and tried to hit Ranma in the face with the same fan. Ranma rolled her head down and around it, and brought her right leg up and around in an attempt to connect the outside of her foot with Ukyo's head. Her opponent once again parried with her right, at the same time turning to her right and rolling around Ranma.  
  
The pigtailed girl brought her right foot down, and bent backwards to avoid the horizontal swipe that passed just over her nose from behind. She then dropped to the ground, and spun into a helicopter kick that parried the vertical fan swipe, and forced Ukyo to spin away.  
  
Ranma kicked back onto her feet, and leapt at Ukyo with her legs first; attempting a scissor kick. Ukyo leapt through her legs, and flipped while keeping her body completely straight as she glared down at her opponent.   
  
The redhead back spun, and leapt using her back muscles out of the way of the fans that stuck into the dance floor. She righted herself, and turned to see Ukyo staring blankly at her. The girl in the kimono then slumped to the ground, to reveal Shampoo standing irritated, with one of her bonbori in hand. Ranma looked over and saw Akane holding Konatsu and Tsubasa's heads together, both obviously out cold.  
  
"I guess we aren't going to be staying for the after party?" Ranma asked with a nervous chuckle.  
______________________________________  
  
Next day...  
  
"Oh, look, Ucchan sent us permenant VIP passes," Kasumi exclaimed, "Isn't that nice of her? She even says she wants to let bygones be bygones!"  
  
"Yeah, like you should really trust her," Akane growled from where she was sitting. Shampoo nodded in agreement.  
  
"So, who's up for Ucchan's tonight?" Ranma asked cheerfully.  
______________________________________  
  
"Soon, Ranma Saotome. First I will befriend you, and then earn your trust, and when you least expect it..." Ukyo crushed the ice pack she was holding against her head in her fist. She blinked, when she realized what she did, and growled.  
  
"TSUBASA, ANOTHER ICE PACK!" 


	5. Chapter 5 'Cologne'

Ranma 1/2  
Rhythmer's Fist;  
'Cologne'  
  
::Cologne's theme; '7 to 9 (Original Mix)' by Galaxyman::  
  
  
"Who would had thought such a weird fighting style could be so wide spread?" Akane mused out loud, as she walked home with Ranma-chan.  
  
"Nutt'n wierd about it," Ranma answered from the fence. She was maintaining a remarkable balance while swaying to some inaudible beat, "Martial arts inn't always 'bout the one that's fastest or strongest, it always comes down to the rhythm. Bruce Lee woulda told ya that, same with Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin."  
  
"Who?" Akane asked, not quite catching the last person's name.  
  
"Call him Miyamoto Musashi if ya want, but it sounds like the name of a hick to me," Ranma said casually. Suddenly, she began to dance heavily on the fence, and then backflip from it...  
  
...just before something crashed through the pickets the redhead was just walking on.  
  
The blur didn't stop, as it suddenly bounded towards its target from the flattened section of the fence, and attacked with a fury. Ranma dodged, guarded, and weaved through the barrage before committing a full gator backwards. Akane looked at Ranma in surprise; just barely able to contain the gasp at the sight of Ranma dueling with the speeding object. She came to notice a few things about his 'Rhythmer's Fist' style, that whenever Ranma was forced to get serious, he... or she would start dancing harder. Ranma was definitely... as he would put it, 'skill'n' at the moment. And her attacker...  
  
"Impressive, Son-in-Law," the short and elderly woman stated from her perch on the staff she had with her, "There is no doubt of the reason you managed to defeat my heir."  
  
"Uh, 'Son-in-law'?" Ranma-chan asked, looking down at herself for a second.  
  
The old woman chuckled, "Of course, I was well aware of your true gender, but I wasn't going to spoil Shampoo's fun."  
  
"Shampoo, you mean Shampoo's your heir?" Akane enquired, confirming her conclusion.  
  
"Ranma! Husband and not-so-Rhythmless-girl hurry home to Shampoo's too, too delic... aiyah...." Shampoo stopped, after spying the new visitor to Nerima.  
  
"Hello Shampoo, I hope you didn't cause your husband too many problems chasing him all the way to Japan."  
  
"How did you know that Ranma was a boy, Great Grandmother?" Shampoo asked in Mandarin, and recieved a knock on the head from her elder.  
  
"Japanese, girl," Cologne chided, "Last I recalled, it was atrocious, and you needed much practice with it. And as for how I knew? If you had been paying attention, you would have noticed it too."  
  
"Shampoo no notice other girl that way," the lavender haired girl replied with a half lidded stare, earning herself another knock on the head.  
  
"Honestly, I let you go off on your own, and you lose all manners towards your elders. And what is with your clothing? Do you want to look like a buffoon attempting to trip over their oversized trousers? And Your an Amazon Warrior! Why do you have a silly cartoon character on your shirt? What is that sparkly garbage on your face and hair? *Gasp*! Is that a pacifier on a string around your neck? You're a disgrace! Stand up straight when I'm talking to you! Why, child, during my day, we presented ourselves with unrivaled pride! How it shames our ancestors to see our current generation in such travesties! Don't roll your eyes when I'm talking to you..."  
  
"Wow, Shampoo's Great-Grandmother is something else!" Akane breathed in slight awe. Ranma could only nod, as they both watched and listened to the old woman berate a chagrinned Lavender haired Amazon.  
__________________________  
  
"W-welcome to our home, honored Elder," Soun greeted, "I trust you're enjoying our lovely country?"  
  
"Just as much as I was the last time I was here, HA!" Cologne sipped her tea, and turned to Shampoo, "So, give me the details, my dear..."  
  
"Uh, details?" Shampoo asked, "What Great-Grandmother mean?"  
  
"I mean does he just lay there, or is he a demon where it counts? I ain't getting any younger, you know? I want to see some Great-Great-Grandchildren between my heir and her husband!"  
  
"HUSBAND!" Soun shouted, before turning to Gen... to a panda, "Saotomeeeee."  
  
"Sorry, but I gotta clue ya," Ranma interjected, "She may be cuter than the tomboy here," Ranma shifted himself a bit, "but we ain't hitched." Ranma settled himself comfortably upon the back of Akane, who was herself laying on her side and propping herself up on the elbow that was between the two halves of a dining room table.  
  
"Akane, you do realize these tables are kind of expensive," Soun enquired.  
  
"Don't worry, Daddy, it's coming out of her allowance," Nabiki stated.  
  
"That's right! Ranma is going to marry one of *my* baby girls!" Soun argued, recalling the situation.  
  
"He has an obligation to marry my great-granddaughter," the Amazon Matriarch stated back adimantly, "You will simply have to stand aside."  
  
"This is my family honor!"  
  
"And this is three thousand years of Amazon Law, sonny-boy!"  
  
"Hold up, hold up, before anyone gets hostile, why don't you ask me who I want?"  
  
"Yes, let the boy decide that he wants to marry one of my daughters!" Soun spoke up, proud that the boy was taking up to his obligations.  
  
"You better choose wisely, Son-in-Law..." Cologne challenged, giving him a sharp glare.  
  
Ranma sat up, and suddenly wrapped his arms around Shampoo and Akane. Both Kasumi and Nabiki blinked, wondering how in the hell they came to kneeling just behind Ranma with their hands on his shoulders.  
  
"Don't we make a lovely couple?" Ranma beamed. Akane, Shampoo, Kasumi, and Nabiki looked at each other, before Akane and Shampoo back fisted Ranma in unison with Kasumi and Nabiki's elbow drop onto the top of his head. Ranma swooned, and then collapsed backwards, "J-Just joking!"  
__________________________  
  
"You're not actually considering their ultimatum, are you, Ranma?" Nabiki asked, while walking along with Akane and Ranma to eat out, since Kasumi went out to visit friends.  
  
"Na, lettem think they're in control," Ranma replied, nonchilantly, "It's not like you cherries aren't waiting for me!"  
  
"Get bent," Akane mumured.  
  
"What she said," Nabiki added.  
  
"That goes triple for me," a third voice commented, "I'm not as young as I used to be!" Ranma paused, and turned, finding a decaying, decrepid...  
  
::SMACK!!!::  
  
"Who's decrepid, Sonny-boy?" Cologne hissed at Ranma, who was rubbing the knot forming on his head.  
  
"Really, Ranma, you gotta learn not to say everything that comes to that tiny mind of yours," Nabiki smirked.  
  
"Damn, how long you been there?" Ranma asked, backing up from the old woman.  
  
"Just long enough to wonder what you youngsters were doing out at dinner-time. Looking for a meal?"  
  
"You offer'n?" Ranma enquired, still staying cautious.  
  
"I thought I could do with a few taste testers for my new restaurant I'm opening just down that way a little,"Cologne commented, idly, "Interested?"  
  
"Hey, if it'll save us money, I'm all for it!" Nabiki piped up for the other two.  
  
"I'm not so sure about this," Akane commented, looking warily at the old Amazon.  
  
"I'll tell you what, if you're worried about the cost of a free meal..." Cologne pulled out three 'free meal' coupons for the Newly opening Cat Cafe, "Ranma has to earn them..." With that, she bounded off, shouting behind her, "Catch me if you can, Son-in-Law!"  
  
"You guys head on up, and tell 'em I'll have one of each!" Ranma called down to the two Tendou sisters, "I'll be back with those coupons with the quickness!" Ranma gave chase, already confident that they were eating on the house tonight.  
  
"Something's fishy about this," Akane warned, gaining a shrug from her sister.  
  
"Let Ranma deal with it... what did he mean 'one of each'?"  
__________________________  
  
"Not bad, Son-in-Law, it's been a while since anyone's given me a good run like this! Why, it reminds me of back in my youth, running through the wilds near the villiage..."  
  
"When was that? Paleolithic Era? It had to be sometime after the Jurassic, mammals weren't even around then!" Ranma smirked at his barb, twisting out of the way of Cologne's staff point, which was aimed for a particular point on his sternum.  
  
"Don't you get sharp with me, Sonny-boy!" the Matriarch mused, while hopping backwards upon the rooftops on her staff, "How about we make this more interesting? ON GUARD!" Cologne launched into the offensive, suddenly, forcing Ranma back a bit.  
  
"Heh, all tempo," Ranma stated, defending against every blow, "Gotta have rhythm before you can dance with me!"  
  
"Boy, I was mastering Rhythm decades before you were a moan on your mother's wedding night!" Cologne snapped.  
  
"Hey now! You leave my Mom outta this!" Ranma replied, dropping into a foot sweep that caused him to circle his leg completely under him, switching hands to allow it passage.  
  
Cologne dodged by leaping into the air in a spin, and landing some distance away, "Hmm, my Great-Granddaughter picked her spouse well... but you need more respect for your elders!"  
  
"I'll show you the love, as soon as I get those coupons!" Ranma launched into the air, somersaulted forward, and attempted to drive his right heel onto the top of Cologne's head. The Amazon Matriarch dodged to her left slightly, just out of the way of the attack, and attempted to retailiate with a downward swing of her staff to Ranma's head.  
  
The pigtailed martial artist leaned to his right, out of the way of the swing. And as Cologne brought it into a horizontal swing, brought up his right leg to block it with is shin, while bracing his left hand on the ground. Using the momentum from the gaurd, Ranma went into a spinning one-hand stand, and vaulted him a yard backwards onto his feet. He then performed a tight somersault backwards from Cologne's horizontal swing to his right.  
  
Cologne hopped into the air, and attempted another downward strike to Ranma's head. He dropped back onto his hands into a crabwalk position, and twisted his left side up so that he was balancing on his right hand and leg. His left leg blocked against the staff, before switching to balance on his left side; bringing his right hand up while his feet moved in a complex pattern to scoot him back.  
  
Cologne spun the staff around in an intricate pattern, and attempted to bring it down on Ranma again. Once again, he blocked it with his right leg, swinging it around to the left to bring him into a backspin. After one rotation, he planted his left hand onto the roof, lifting him up, and kicked out with the left leg, and then the right leg.  
  
Cologne parried both kicks, while Ranma brought his right leg completely to his front, and let it land on the roof, and then swung his left leg around for a back kick. While Cologne dodged to her left, Ranma spun once like a horizontal helicopter propellar, and came back to his feet.  
  
"Impressive, but overly ostentatious," Cologne commented.  
  
"I'll hand it to ya, you got some skillz yourself," Ranma saluted Cologne, while bobbing to his private beat.  
  
"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet, Son-in-Law!"  
  
"Heh, I think I can handle ya," Ranma retorted, watching the old woman cautiously, but not letting it show on his flippant expression.  
  
"Why, Sonny-boy, I'm old enough to be your Great-Grandmother!" Ranma blinked, almost momentarily falling out of beat, as he found the old woman right in front of him, suddenly. She jabbed her index finger into his chest, "It would be simply scandelous if you were caught soliciting me in such a fashion!"  
  
"Hey! I ain't into fetishes!" Ranma proclaimed, ignoring the tingling sensation in his sternum.  
  
"But you believe yourself equal to me?" Cologne enquired, hopping backwards on her staff.  
  
"Equal enough," Ranma replied with a nonchilant tone.  
  
"Well, how about this? You, as you claim, that I'm all 'Tempo'?" There was a crack in the air, and Ranma's eyebrows raised, as he assumed the old woman did something to break the sound barrier. Her arms suddenly became multiple strobes, before she held them before Ranma, "I dare you to attempt to take hold of my arms!"  
  
"Heh, I was play'n this game with pops when I was in diapers, and I had him up by when I was six!" Ranma's hands were lightning quick themselves, but found them cut through Cologne's arms as if they weren't even there.  
  
"Whoa," Ranma exclaimed, as Cologne's arms seemed to have flickered and wavered for an instant, before settling back into a solid appearance after his hands passed through them.  
  
"That... Son-in-Law, is the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken." With that, the old woman bounded off, leaving three pieces of paper behind that Ranma snatched up; they were the coupons.  
  
"Remember it!" Cologne shouted, heading back to her restaurant.  
__________________________  
  
A damp Ranma-chan entered the restaurant finally, livening up an irritated Akane and Nabiki at the sight.  
  
"What took you so long?" Akane asked, trying to keep her irritation apparent, but finding it almost lost in a fit of giggles.  
  
"Long story, as usual," The redhead flashed the coupons, "You order already?"  
  
"Here you go, your ramens, and one of each item on the menu for Ranma," Cologne stated, and then mumbled under her breath, "I should have put a limiter on those coupons..."  
  
"Hmm? What's with the guady pink pendant?" Nabiki asked, "You weren't wearing that earlier."  
  
"Oh, just the cure for 'daughter-in-Law's' peculiar predicerment..." Cologne stated with her ancient smirk.  
  
"Huh?" The redhead exclaimed, while upending a kettle over her head...  
__________________________  
  
"Oh my, I think I'm starting to become a little tipsy," Kasumi stated with a bit of concern, "I thought I heard Ranma screaming..."  
  
"Ah, there's a lot of people screaming in here, have another drink!" Kasumi's highschool friend that she had just introduced to the VIP section of 'Ucchan's', "And where did you learn to dance like that, girl?"  
__________________________  
  
"Ranma..." Akane breathed, watching the redhead blow on her singed fingers, "You can't keep doing this to yourself!"  
  
"I'm gonna master this technique, even if it kills me!" Ranma-chan growled, attempting to curl her pained fingers.  
  
"That's the spirit! No pain, no gain!" Cologne landed in view, and looked to the fire, "I think they should be about done roasting, now. You should get them before they burn!"  
  
Ranma gritted her teeth at the backhanded remark, but didn't comment, "Nobody asked for your opinion!"  
  
"Anyone want some finely roasted chestnuts?" Cologne shouted, bringing the whole Tendou household outside.  
  
"Hmm, sounds delicious!" Kasumi commented.  
  
"Mark me up for a few," Nabiki added.  
  
"Tendou, sounds like something that'll go good with a bit of warm sake, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"Quite right, Saotome!"  
  
Cologne suddenly was holding a fistful of chestnuts in each hand, gathering a round of applause from most of the gathered. Ranma was the only one that hadn't given the old woman an ovation, as she had been concentrating on seeing how Cologne moved, her rhythm...  
  
With a smirk, Ranma finally interrupted the applause, "I'm gonna go practice in the dojo."  
  
"Hmm, Son-in-Law took that awfully well..." Cologne stated, curiously, before picking her staff up off the ground, "Ah well, I must be going, I left some noodles boiling..."  
__________________________  
  
"Ranma?" Akane found the pigtailed girl in the dojo, dancing, "Honestly, it doesn't seem like you're too concerned about getting that cure, after all..." Ranma wasn't paying attention, concentrating on the music as she danced. With a huff, Akane left the dojo, missing Ranma turn up the volume of his diskman, and moving up the intensity of his dancing. Her arm movements started moving in eighth-note beats, then sixteenth-notes, then two-hundred and fifty-sixth notes...  
  
After an hour, Ranma mastered the Amaguriken.  
__________________________  
  
Ranma-chan grumbled, as she faced off against the old woman in the ocean water. The Shark-Fist was easily countering her in the water, and she was finding few options left to her.  
  
"Give up, and marry Shampoo, girly! You can't defeat me!"  
  
"Sorry, but I ain't got urge to be tied down yet!" Ranma replied, before getting slammed back by a shark shaped wave.  
  
"Feh, what is it you told me earlier? 'All tempo, not rhythm'?" Cologne chuckled, splashing the water while still on the back of the shark in her laughter.  
  
Ranma had caught what Cologne had stated, and smiled, "You know? Sometimes it ain't all about the tempo and rhythm..." With that, she dove under water...  
  
"Odd..." Cologne mused, before blinking at the sound of a low hum...  
__________________________  
  
Everyone on the beach gasped, as a massive explosion launched the ocean water in the area the two combatants were in, into the air. Cologne had not been expecting that, finding herself unable to gain balance in the air, what with a shark almost landing on top of her and all. The old woman was severely impressed, what Ranma had to have done was an application of the chestnut fist through out the whole body at an intense rate... underwater, no less!  
  
Ranma casually walked out of the water with a smirk, "You gotta have a little bass to go with it. Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken revised... The low..." Ranma saluted her defeated opponent, "Bass Boom."  
  
"Well met, Son-in-Law, the prize, as we agreed."  
  
"Aiyah..." Shampoo exclaimed, "Ranma beat Great-Grandmother!" Akane had to admit, perhaps she could benefit from this 'Rhythmer's Fist', after all...  
  
  
Next: Akane 


	6. Chapter 6 'Akane'

Rhythmer's Fist  
"Akane"  
  
::Theme for Akane; 'Why Me' (Future Mix) byK2K::  
  
  
She had lost Ranma, not that he had bothered to follow her. Akane removed the trenchcoat and wide hat she wore to be inconspicuous on the 80+ degree weather, so that she could evade Ranma, Shampoo... anyone that may find intrest in her activities.  
  
She had begrudingly admitted that there may be 'something' to this Rhythmer's Fist thing, but decided she would be damned if she learned it from Ranma, despite his subtle attempts to teach her.  
  
Sans, the reason she had been heading across Tokyo for the last few days, even on school nights, and hitting whatever clubs her meager allowance that hadn't been extorted by Nabiki would allow her in. She was doing what she always did; find a table nearest to the dancefloor, and observe people dancing. Occasionally, she'd get asked out onto the floor, but adimantly refused, a couple of times rather violently. Unfortunately, her current course of action has yet to yeild her anything as to how the style worked.  
  
After the club, she would find a vacant lot, and with a portable stereo, practice some of the moves she had seen on the floor. Good thing for her, being in a vacant lot in the night, because no one could see exactly how horrible she danced.  
  
With a grimace, Akane felt her hips jerkily move to the beat, unsure of how to follow it, as her arms moved ungracefully with the rhythm. It was embarrassing to herself, but she refused to give in. She would learn the secret, without Ranma's help, and finally wipe that smug jerk's constant smirk from his or her face!  
  
With that determination and resolve, Akane began to dance again to they pumping techno rhythm from the CD she had picked up from a bargain bin on a trip with Ranma through Akihabara, and with her firmed and serious diciple, she began to dance even worse...  
____________________________  
  
"Late night again, sis?" Nabiki asked with a smirk, watching her sister sluggishly slump downstairs.  
  
"Lemme alone," Akane mumbled. She had to figure out the damn secret soon, or she wouldn't make it through the rest of the week. She was determined that she would find what made dancing such a formidable martial art. She was already in her own right a good martial artist, but she couldn't hold a candle to Ranma, and she knew that well enough after the battle between Ranma and Cologne. If dancing allowed Ranma to create a virtual tidal wave, then she would learn to do so, too.  
  
Of course, that would mean learning how to dance, first.  
____________________________  
  
Right after school, Akane once again headed up to her room to nap, much to Ranma's annoyance; no tomboy to tease to liven things up. Ah well, always Shampoo, Kasumi, or Nabiki to irritate, but it just wasn't the same.  
  
She again woke up, as everyone would be going to bed, and snuck downstairs. She was a bit surprised to find dinner waiting for her on the table, courtesy of the girl that had managed to sneak up behind her as she stared in slight shock at the meal.  
  
"Akane, I don't suppose you'll tell us where you go all the time during the evening?" Kasumi asked politely, but with a slight chiding edge to her voice.  
  
"Ah..." Akane spun around, and smiled nervously at her sister, "Um... good morning, Kasumi, I... wow, that sure looks delicious!"  
  
"I asked a question," Kasumi's expression turned to a slight pout.  
  
"Well.... I kind of like going out for a walk, at night, okay?" Akane responded with a slight defensive tone.  
  
"Oh my, but isn't Ikebekuru, Shinjoku, annnnnd...." Kasumi looked at one of the train ticket stubs she had in hand, "Roppongi a bit far from here? I would really rather you take your late-night constitutionals closer to home."  
  
"So, I like a change of scenery, is that a problem?" Akane retorted, knowing she wasn't going out tonight, being caught red-handed in the act.  
  
"I suppose, but really, if you want to go clubbing, why not just go to Ucchans?"  
  
Akane blinked, realizing her sister easily put two and two together. She bowed her head, and mumbled just loud enough so Kasumi could hear it, "I didn't want Ranma to catch me, okay?"  
  
Oh... well then," Kasumi then handed a shocked Akane the ticket stubs, "Please, try not to leave these in your pockets, I do so hate having to clean out lint from the dryertrap too often. Have a nice night, and don't let it affect school too much, okay?" Akane mutely nodded, and then sat down to eat her late meal.  
____________________________  
  
"Just you wait Ranma," Akane growled, doing a great disservice to the dance she had seen earlier that night... morning. She was once again in a vacant lot, still unable to master the sensual moves she had seen many times from many people. Finally, with a scream of fustration, she picked up a rock, and owed Nabiki a pretty yen for busting up her portable stereo.  
  
She could dance okay, but nothing like what she had seen Ranma or Shampoo or Ukyo or Konatsu and Tsubasa or Ryoga or even her sisters or the thousands she had witnessed over the past week do. Her style of dancing was something she picked up from friends listening to the latest J-Pop idol during the occational party or sleepover. What she was trying to do was mature, confident, attractive, compared to her toe tapping and childish hip shaking.  
  
"Girl, what are you trying to do?"  
  
Akane jumped, and immidiately turned, to find a dusky skinned woman with metallic aqua colored hair, standing casually with one hip on her hand and her head tilted to the side, eyeing Akane with wry amusement.  
  
"I, ah..." Akane sighed, and looked down, "Nothing, nothing at all."  
  
"Doesn't look much like nothing to me, irma. You go and bust up a perfectly good radio, after going into convultions in da middle of the night. I was 'bout call'n the ambulance for you!"  
  
"HEY!" Akane shouted, indignantly.  
  
"You lern'n to dance?"  
  
Akane was caught off-guard by the question, before her eyes narrowed, "Why do you care?"  
  
"Because it was hurt'n me feelings watch'n you, irma. And as an act of community service, I'm going to have to do something about it, no`?"  
  
"I don't have to stand here and be insulted, you know?" Akane shot back, growing steadily more irritated, the longer the conversation went.  
  
"No, I suppose not. How 'bout you come with me to my place, and I can insult you there?" Akane's eye twitched.  
  
"No, thank you, I think I should be heading home," Akane replied with an acidic tone, as she then marched past the woman out the lot.  
  
"Be a shame if I had to call the police for you being out so late. There a curfew in this city?" Akane ignored the barb, but came to a sudden stop, as an officer of the law indeed walked past her, fortunately not spying her.  
  
"We can drink that tea stuff you povo seem to enjoy a lot here, and I can tell you why you dance so horribly!" The woman gave Akane a cheerful smile, one that Akane realllly wanted to rip from her face.  
  
"So, you think you can tell me better?"  
  
The other woman's expression grew serious, "Come with me, moca. We got a lot to discuss."  
____________________________  
  
Akane looked around the old dance studio that her hostess apparently lived in, as she was being lead to the apartment upstairs.  
  
"Been choreographing for eleven years, moca, I think I know a thing or two about dancing."  
  
"But, why do you care about how I dance?" Akane asked guardedly.  
  
"Because, like I said, you hurt'n my eyes, and I like to fix the problem, not the symptom."  
  
Akane sighed at the insult, "Do you have to make fun of me every chance you get?"  
  
"Yes, but only because you let it get to you, irma. Now, let me do this boiling water thing, and then we can get to talk'n, si?"  
  
Akane nodded, as the woman walked to the small kitchenette, and pulled out a pot for a coffee maker. She then removed the used coffee filter, placed in a new one, and added water to the top. "Um... Allores-san" Akane asked, looking around the rather dirty small apartment, "What is it you wanted to discuss, anyway?"  
  
"Why you no have confidence," was Ms. Allores's reply, "And call me Petra, I'm not that much older than you..."  
  
"You sure about that?" Akane asked, implying a barb.  
  
"HA! There you go!" Petra almost shouted, "I think I can like you more, now!"  
  
"What, so you're going to teach me how to dance?"  
  
"If you wanna learn, I'll teach you."  
  
"Uh, that would be great... I guess." Akane was trying to consider why this woman that she had never met before was taking an intrest in her, "Don't you have any other students or something?"  
  
"I between gigs, moca." Petra answered from the kitchen.  
  
"You know? It would be much easier if you just boiled the water in a pan or something," Akane replied, looking towards the coffee maker slowly dripping water.  
  
"That may be so, but I only know how to run the coffee maker and microwave."  
  
"You mean you don't know how to cook for youself?"  
  
"I know how to cook plenty!" Petra replied, "I can cook microwave dinners, hot dogs, cold pizza..."  
  
"By microwave, right?" Akane replied with a wry smirk.  
  
"It's the greatest invention in the world, other than the coffee maker."  
  
Akane's smirk grew into a slight smile, finding herself warming up to the foreigner before her. If she really was a choreographer, Akane could learn quite a bit from her. Petra had some other thoughts on the matter, rather pleased with herself for finding such a girl who obviously had some martial arts training, and was apparently eager to learn how to move to a beat...  
  
Petra found her protoge`.  
____________________________  
  
Petra shook her head, wondering how abysmal someone could possibly be, 'Non`... please stop, you're going to hurt yourself..."  
  
"Huh?" Akane asked, trying to copy the rather simple steps the dance instructor was showing her.  
  
"You going to throw your hip out. You suffer from cerebral palsy, got medicine for those convultions of yours that you attempt to pass as dancing?"  
  
"HEY! I'm just trying to do what you showed me!"  
  
Petra's expression grew serious again, "Mebbe, why don't you enjoy dancing?"  
  
"Huh? I like dancing just fine!"  
  
"You don't seem to be enjoying it." Petra stood up, and began to sway to the music. Akane suddenly found herself transfixed to the way her instructor moved, far different from what she had shown her earlier. "Moca, tell me, do you think you're attractive?"  
  
"Uh," Akane blushed at the question, "I guess."  
  
"Don't guess your feelings, they come naturally to you. Just like the way you should move."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, dancing is an outward expression of your emotions. Do you do karate?"  
  
"I'm the heir to my family's school of martial arts!" Akane stated adimantly.  
  
"Impressive. Now how do you know to move when you fight?"  
  
"Ah..." Akane thought for a second, "I just... do."  
  
"Good, now why can't you dance?"  
  
"Hey! I'm trying, alright?"  
  
"And that... be your problem."  
  
Akane blinked, as she found herself being lead in a dance, with her current instructor's hands on her hips, moving her sensuously to the pumping rhythm of the beat, "When..."  
  
"Whenever," Petra stated, knowing Akane was wondering when they started to dance together, "If you don't let yourself go to the rhythm, you never going to enjoy the dance, because you don't put the right feelings into it."  
  
Akane backed away quickly against the wall, slightly uncomfortable with dancing with another woman. Petra didn't give Akane any quarter, as she put herself right into Akane's personal space, "You're attractive, moca. That's power against anyone..." almost brushing her lips against Akane's sweaty cheek, Petra began to whisper in her ear, "Move like everyone wants you. Dance like nobody would forget a night with you, moca..."  
  
Akane quickly pulled herself from under the other woman with a wide-eyed expression, "Are you... you... like that?"  
  
Petra blinked at the question in non-comprehension, "Like what?"  
  
"You're a pervert!" Akane suddenly accused, "You only keep teaching me because you like girls!"  
  
Petra smirked, and then closed her eyes, as she let out a humorous snort. She then opened her eyes to a sultry stared that immidiately had Akane in a defensive stance, "Non`... mebbe yes, but it wouldn't make me a pervert in any way."  
  
"How can you say that?" Akane demanded, never moving from her defensive stance.  
  
Petra started to move towards Akane in confident, sensual strides, "You like the way I move, Akane?"  
  
"Ye-NO!"  
  
"Yes you do, you want to walk like me, you want to dance like me..." Petra was halfway to Akane, "I can see how you admire me, my grace, my confidence. I'm showing you everything that you feel you're lacking..." Petra was right up in front of a petrified Akane, "And you want it so bad, don't you, estudante?"  
  
Akane gulped at her nervousness at having the other woman so close to her again, but the words were ringing true. The raven haired girl bowed her head, and whispered, "Yes." She then backed away to get some space, and stared resignedly at her instructor, "But... Shampoo calls me rhythmless, Ranma calls me a tomboy... and you, you're..."  
  
"Oh? Something wrong with being a tomboy?" Petra lost her intensely sensual air about herself, and was standing with a smirk on her face.  
  
"Yes! He's saying I'm unfemenine!"  
  
"Tomboy just means you have masculine traits, what's wrong with that?"  
  
"What do you mean, what's wrong with that? I just told you..."  
  
"You certainly look femenine to me..." Petra cut the younger girl off. "But your confident, aggressive, determined... those are all masculine traits..." Akane was caught off-guard by the reply, and stood slightly dumbfounded.  
  
"Those three principles are your best traits, they serve you well."  
  
"I still don't like being called a tomboy," Akane replied with a sullen tone.  
  
"You should revel in it when he calls you that, he doesn't understand what it *should* mean to you, moca," with a sly smirk, Petra slid beside Akane, causing the other girl to jump slightly in startlement, as she barely noticed her move, "Look, this is what you do, next time rapaz call you that..."  
____________________________  
  
"I see you've been getting enough sleep, lately," Ranma quipped idly.  
  
Akane gave Ranma a slight smirk, not having told anyone what she's been doing directly afterschool, "I decided to stop keeping late nights."  
  
"So, Not-so-rhythmless-girl have midnight meeting with other boy?" Shampoo accused, "That Ryoga boy?"  
  
Akane thought back to what her instructor had told her, and leaned against the fence they were walking by, "I wouldn't mind it, if that were the case. I mean, he's got a lot I would like to meet with, after all..."  
  
Both Shampoo and Ranma froze, though Ranma was a bit more rigid than Shampoo.  
  
"You're going to slip a disk, standing like that, Ranma-dear," Akane replied, feeling a surge of confidence in getting such a reaction out of both of them.  
  
"Hmph, I don't think Ryoga wouldn't mind meeting with a tomboy like you," Ranma retorted, finding a way to recover from being put off-guard like that by Akane of all people.  
  
Akane's eyes narrowed, as she pushed herself off the wall. She stalked towards Ranma in a walk he had never seen the girl use, causing him to lock up with a tight breath. Akane came upon him, and pressed herself right into him, leaning right into his face so he could see her expression directly.  
  
"You say the sweetest things, Ranma-dear," with that, Akane walked past Ranma in a stride that suddenly felt oh so natural to her. All Ranma could do was stand there, dumbfounded, as Shampoo chuckled behind him.  
____________________________  
  
Akane found the steps much easier, as she swayed to the beat. Petra looked on with an approving expression; Akane was no longer trying to imitate her own style, but was developing one on her own. Pretty soon, it would be time to introduce her to the next phase...  
____________________________  
  
"Akane..." Petra walked up to the girl, who was intimately involved with the rhythm pumping through her, the treble and bass that controlled her actions as much as her own emotions did. She felt her own heart beat beginning to sync with the rhythm, as she became part of the flow.  
  
"Estudente..."  
  
Akane stopped, throwing her instructor a wry smile that seemed to come more natural to her these days, "Yeah Pet?"  
  
Petra twitched at the 'pet name', but remained serious, "You ready to learn for real?"  
  
Akane blinked, "What do you mean?"  
  
"You almost there, moca, but there's a reason I wanted to teach you."  
  
Akane folded her arms under her breasts, "I thought you'ld have figured out by now, I don't swing that way."  
  
Petra rubbed the bridge of her nose, refusing to let Akane get to her, "You're a fighter, that's why I wanted to teach you..."  
  
"Wait a minute, you were teaching me the Rhythmer's Fist?"  
  
Petra's eyes grew wide, "H-how do you know that form?"  
  
"That's what Ranma uses," Akane stated, "I wanted to learn it just to show him I can be just as good as him, if not better."  
  
"Tell me, moca, is his Mestre named Santos Marcello?"  
  
"Um, I don't know."  
  
"Indeed," Petra replied, turning away from Akane, "Let me introduce you to my school of martial arts... a branch of the Rhythmer's Fist..."  
  
Akane found herself listening intently.  
____________________________  
  
Akane walked out the gates with Ranma, indulging in the way her potential fiancee was staring at her with a contemplative expression.  
  
"You know? I could get used to the attention you have on my ass," Akane quipped, shaking her tush just so for Ranma's benefit.  
  
"Hmph," Ranma redirected his eyes elsewhere, "What's gotten into you? And where have you been going all the time?"  
  
"Hmmm? Afraid you're going to miss me? Aren't you sweet!" Akane replied, "But don't worry, I think there's enough of me to go around to share..." Akane suddenly spun away from Shampoo's bike, as it landed in the spot where Ranma had been standing.  
  
Shampoo blinked, as she noticed she had almost hit Ranma this time, and then found Akane's arm around her waist, "Akane... what you doing?"  
  
"...just like I do with Shampoo-chan here," Akane finished, and kissed Shampoo on the cheek, "Stay cute, you hear me, baby? I gotta get somewhere."  
  
Shampoo sat frozen, as her brain attempted to assimilate what just happened. Ranma was just as dumbfounded, as he had felt Akane's rhythm. The pigtailed boy narrowed his eyes, deciding to get to the bottom of it all.  
____________________________  
  
"So... this is where you go, a little remote, isn't it?" Ranma stated, causing Petra and Akane to turn around in surprise.  
  
"You followed me!" Akane accused, allowing irritation to show on her face.  
  
"Who this?" Petra asked, eyeing Ranma up while licking her lips, "Rapaz looks delicious!"  
  
"This..." Akane gestured to Ranma, as he savored the attention, "Is Ranma."  
  
"Oh?" Petra's expression became slightly more strained, "So this is the one that practices the Rhythmer's Fist?"  
  
"Ah, so she's been bragging about me?"  
  
"Something like that," Petra replied, "You must make Mestre Marcellos proud."  
  
"Heh, not that I didn't impress him when he first saw me," Ranma replied, while buffing his fingers against his shirt.  
  
"Indeed," Akane noticed Petra's smile was becoming even more strained, "I would like to hear about your training, but in the meantime, me and Akane have things we need to do..."  
  
"Don't mind me, I'm just here to watch you two shake your rumps."  
  
"Sorry Ranma, girl talk," Akane added, giving him a warding stare.  
  
"S'no prob, just lemme get a nice cold glass of water, and..."  
  
"Ranma..." Akane almost growled, coming close to losing her temper.  
  
Ranma sighed in resignation, "Coo, I can see when I'm not wanted. I think I'll scope out the town, and check back later to see when you're done." With that, Ranma walked out of the dance studio.  
  
As soon as he left, Petra dropped all expressions of cheer, "Succubus..."  
  
Akane looked up at her mentor in the art of the Rhythmer's Fist; whenever she used Akane's 'Christian' name, there was something important to be said, "Hmm?"  
  
"I think I'll be increasing your training, but you won't be able to take that one for a bit..."  
  
"But... I..."  
  
"You will say no more on this," Petra commanded, before turning her thoughts to herself, "So, Marcello, my dear husband, you have found your own protoge`..." 


	7. Chapter 7 'Mu Tsu'

Ranma/Trance Action 1  
'Rhythmer's Fist'  
'Mu Tsu'  
  
  
  
  
"Shampoo here for airen!"  
  
Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki all turned to the new entrance in the side of the wall; two with unamused expressions, one with a slightly oblivious one.  
  
"You know? You may be cute, but you're costly," Akane drawled, as she reclined deeper into the sofa.  
  
Shampoo stuck her tongue out at Akane in reply, before bounding towards Ranma, and sitting in his lap, "Ranma, you take Shampoo on date, yes? Ucchan's have too, too good new DJ, tonight!"  
  
Ranma groaned, and Shampoo blinked. The latter blinked, as she found Akane suddenly in her lap, and the former groaned, because of the weight of two girls piled in his lap.  
  
"Sounds like fun!" Akane almost chirped, while wearing a smug expression to Shampoo's irritated one, "So, who's the talent?"  
  
"Shampoo no know," The Amazon stated with a slightly cold tone, "and Shampoo no invite Not-so-Rhythmless girl to go."  
  
"Awww, don't be like that," Akane retorted, shifting herself in Shampoo's lap, much to an uncomfortable Ranma's chagrin, "I'd like to think you'll invite a friend along with you!"  
  
"Since when Akane and Shampoo friends?"  
  
Akane gave a mock pout, "I'm hurt, honestly!"  
  
"Not as hurt as I am," Ranma choked out, "You girls know you're heavy?"  
  
Both girls felt obligated to respond with their elbows. Akane continued, somewhat undaunted, "You would just take my feelings like that, and grind them into dust."  
  
Shampoo's nose turned at the melodramatic dialogue, "This date between husband and wife, Akane no interfere..."  
  
"Sorry, but good ol' femenine territorial practices require me to interfere," Akane stated with a touch of humor, putting her arm around the dazed Ranma suggestively.  
  
Shampoo's eyes narrowed dangerously, sensing a challenge, "You is wanting to fight over Ranma?"  
  
Akane looked back to the young man in question, and turned back to Shampoo, "As much of a man Ranma-dear is, I don't think my family would like horseplay in the house."  
  
Shampoo slipped from under Akane, stood up, producing one of her bonbori, "Then we go outside! Akane Tendou, I challenge you!"  
  
Ranma snapped out of it when Shampoo issued the challenge, "Hold on a sec! Let's not let this get out of hand, girls!"  
  
"Saotome, it's been out of hand since you were involved," Nabiki commented, not looking up from her manga.  
  
Akane's face became serious for a moment, before her smirk reappeared. "Go back to sleep, Ranma-chan," Akane said, tussling Ranma's hair a bit, before getting off his lap. "Well..." Akane started again, stretching languishly by raising her joined hands well above her head and standing on he toes, "Looks like you got yourself a workout, girlfriend!"  
  
"Girlfriend?" Shampoo repeated haughtily, "So, this challenge of marriage for Shampoo hand?"  
  
Akane's face twitched for a moment, "Let's take this outside, shall we?"  
  
"Akane! What do you think you're doing!" Ranma enquired, walking up beside the raven haired girl, "Shampoo's gonna cream you!"  
  
"Oh ye of little faith. Dojo's this way," Akane lead Shampoo to the dojo, like a proper hostess. When they arrived, both walked to the center, and faced each other.  
  
"Shampoo make this quick," The Amazon stated, tapping her toe impatiently, "First one fall, lose. No want to beat up on weak and rhythmless girl for too, too long."  
  
Akane did well not to show the utter nervousness she was feeling, Petra told Akane that she wasn't going to be in Ranma's league for quite some time; though Akane refuted that, she knew it was true enough. Shampoo was matching Ranma when she first arrived. Akane was currently facing off against Shampoo...  
  
Mathematics were always one of Akane's favorite subjects.  
  
"I hope I don't hold you too long, then," Akane replied in a dry voice. Shampoo smirked, produced her second neon painted bonbori, and went into stance. Akane followed, accidentally allowing a sign of trepidation to show, as she hesitated for a second.  
  
Ranma noted Akane's traditional kempo stance, and groaned. "She's gonna get pasted all over the walls," he thought to himself, but called out, "Shampoo, go easy on her, alright?"  
  
"Thanks for your vote of confidence," Akane drawled out, "Just call the match, already?" She turned to focus on Shampoo, and as she did, she started to hear... or she thought she was hearing music seeming to radiate from Shampoo. Akane felt a twinge of confidence flow through her, when she began to notice the way the imaginary rhythm danced at certain angles from her opponent.  
  
Ranma's face twisted a bit, before calling out, "Begin!"  
  
With a snort, Shampoo twirled her left bonbori, causing a dazzling neon pink, green and hot white display meant to distract, before lashing out at Akane with her right towards her head. It was right then that Akane recognized the song.  
  
The raven-haired girl dropped her guard with a skip, walking past the outside of Shampoo's lunge with her right foot. In the same motion, Akane pivoted on her right foot, continuing the outside circle from Shampoo's blow, then stepped away from Shapoo with her left. It almost seemed as if she were casually walking at an extremely fast pace, until she completed her turn by pivoting on her left foot back to Shampoo, and delivering a rabbit punch with her right fist, as she was deep against Shampoo on the outside of her attempted retract from her blow. The results were a little more fantastic than Akane had expected, as Shampoo was sent tumbling head over heels into the far dojo wall.  
  
"Ouch," Shampoo mumbled, before attepting to rise, her progress whas thwarted by a bonbori to the head; the one that had flown out of her grasp as she was felled back.  
  
"Whoa..." Ranma whispered, rather surprised at the outcome.  
  
Akane blinked a couple of times, still in position from when she delivered the blow, "Um, what just happened?"  
  
Ranma regained himself before answering, "Luck, absolute, pure, dumb luck."  
  
Akane finally relaxed, and turned and indignant look towards Ranma, "Hey! I still won... I think..." Akane thought about it for a sec, "I still won! That's all that matters!"  
  
"Shampoo was going easy on you, you realize that, right?" Ranma enquired with a half lidded stare.  
  
"Well, she shouldn't have underestimated me," Akane retorted, folding her arms, closing her eyes, and deciding to ignore Ranma. Which really was too bad that she decided to do so, as it was then that she felt two hands, gently grabbing onto her face, and turning it sideways.  
  
"Huh?" Akane turned around, just as Shampoo leaned forward.  
  
"Whoa..." Ranma said for the second time in as many minutes. Both girls were staring wide-eyed at each other, while still in their accidental lip-lock. As soon as they both realized what they had done, they were each at a different side of the dojo, sputtering, coughing, and generally showing their distaste for what just happened.  
  
Shampoo was the first to recover; rapidly swearing in Mandarin. Akane was the first to respond to the other, "YOU SICK PERVERT! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!?"  
  
"YOU NO SUPPOSED TO TURN AROUND! SHAMPOO GIVE PERVERT GIRL KISS OF DEATH, NO KISS OF MAR-," Shampoo blinked, right before her face went pale.  
  
"Kiss of..." Akane realized there were only two kisses she knew of from Shampoo's culture; Shampoo just told her that she didn't give her the Kiss of Death, as she intended, "Please tell me that was the Kiss of strictly ploutonic relations!"  
  
"No worry, we no tell Great-Grandmother, it no in effect," Shampoo replied, before spitting again in an attempt to clear an imagined Akane's taste from her mouth.  
  
"Don't trouble yourself, you were always a terrible liar, anyways." Shampoo's eyes rolled up into the back of her head, as she collapsed again.  
  
Both Ranma and Akane nervously turned to the elder, both confirming Akane's fear. Ranma allowed the situation to sink in, before collapsing to the ground in laughter.  
  
"Y-you're kidding, right?" Akane asked with a sick grin. Cologne looked as if she were about to burst into laughter, as she shook her head.  
  
"Nope, I take great glee in stating that I am not in the least joking." Cologne stared gravely at Akane, "You really should have considered the consequences before accepting Shampoo's challenges..."  
  
Shampoo groaned, as she recovered, "Great-Grandmother no serious about this, is right?"  
  
"Dead serious, young lady. Akane Tendou is now fiancee candidate #2."  
  
"WHY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER TORENT ME SO?" Shampoo wailed in anguish.  
  
"Because it brings me great pleasure to return the favor," Cologne stated dryly. "Perhaps now you'll give a little more respect to your eilders, instead of driving them to exasperation?"  
  
"You is hating me this much?" Shampoo asked, completely pouting.  
  
Cologne ignored Shampoo's reply, turning to Akane, "I trust you would take great care of my great-granddaughter, now that you have a responcibility to her?"  
  
"WHA! I... I MEAN..." Akane's mouth opened one more time, before she caught Cologne's wink. An understanding smirk appeared across Akane's face, as she flitted a glance towards the nervous Shampoo, "I think I can keep her in good hands.."  
  
Shampoo choked, Ranma blinked in surprise, and Cologne cackled at the implying remark, "Very good, girl! Shampoo, it looks like you'll have one more date accompanying you to the event at Ucchan's this evening!"  
  
"But I no ask-"  
  
"i'm asking for you," the matriarch interjected in a dry voice. She turned back to Ranma and Akane, before continuing, "Well, I just wanted to check up on Shampoo, and make sure she's staying out of trouble... HA! I must be off now, and I expect you to return to the restaurant shortly, Shampoo." With that, Cologne pogoed out of the dojo.  
  
Akane walked over to Shampoo, as she slowly collapsed to the floor, "Why Great-Grandmother prolonge Shampoo torture, and no just slit throat?"  
  
"Probably because there something about you she still likes," Akane replied, giving her hand to assist Shampoo up. A playful smirk appeared across her face, "Not that it's too hard to see..."  
  
Shampoo shoved the hand away, and regained her footing by herself. Maintaining some of her dignity, Shampoo decided that she may as well head back for work, "Shampoo pick up Ranma.... and Akane... at nine, yes?"  
  
"I'm fine with that," Ranma replied, casually.  
  
"Sounds cool," Akane commented. Shampoo gave her a fleeting glare, before heading for the exit of the dojo. "Oh, Shampoo?"  
  
The Amazon turned one final glare for the morning to Akane, "What Akane want?"  
  
"'Ayla Leibe', good song," Akane stated with a knowing smile. The shock was frozen on Shampoo's face, as she woodenly walked out the door.  
  
Ranma approached Akane, scratching the back of his head nervously, "Ah, Akane..."  
  
"Hmm?" Akane replied, pretty sure of what he wanted to know.  
  
"Ah... You and Shampoo... can I watch sometime?"  
  
The smile from Akane's face melted, like a snowflake that had just been overexposed to high plasma. Ranma bent backwards, allowing her fist to pass impotently over his nose, and straightened himself up, already feeling that she wasn't going to put any more into it.  
  
Akane stalked off, indignant, missing the way Ranma's own facetious smirk vanished from his face, and his eyes narrowing. He had easily dodged Akane's blow, but he 'almost' had to put some sincere effort into it.  
  
"You've been learning a lot more than just dancing..."  
_________________  
  
"You've been gathering quite a following," Ukyo commented, idly, as she folded her hands over her oak desk, while reclining deeply into her plush leather chair. Both Konatsu and Tsubasa flanked her, as if ready to spring into action at any moment.  
  
The young man with long silver hair with slight streaks of gold pushed his sliver tinted lennon-glasses higher onto his face, before replying, "Well, it's nice to know people like my style."  
  
"Yes, they do," Ukyo replied in a very business-like tone, "I don't know much about you, myself, but you're pretty popular from what I've heard. If you're good enough to bring in bigger business for me, I think I wouldn't mind meeting your price... for later showings."  
  
"That's a bold statement to be making," the young man replied, flicking his fingers, and producing a throwing knife. Both Konatsu and Tsubasa tensed, while Ukyo remained unimpressed. With a smirk, the young man shifted his silver trenchcoat slightly, and began to pick his teeth with it.  
  
"I intend to make Ucchan's bigger than even Velfarre," Ukyo said simply. Even if his glasses were reflective, Ukyo knew his eyes widened at that comment, "That won't happen unless I put some cash into it..." for the first time, Ukyo gave a smile, "...Sugar."  
  
"Well, I may be new to the scene, but your starting at the right place." The young man removed his glasses, to reveal silver contacts, and began polishing them with a cloth that seemed to appear from nowhere.  
  
"That's good to hear, Mr. Mu Tzu."  
_________________  
  
Akane, Ranma, and Shampoo descended the spiral staircase to the centerfloor, already jonesing. The DJ onstage was a live one that had not a single idle body in the room. The flamboyant strobes and lights glistened off his all-silver garb, as he spun with a style like molten mercury, and a skill like the unseen elite.  
  
The DJ beatmatched for a transistion, indescreptly nudging the volume from one side of the turntables. Without completely switching over, he kept both songs going in symphony, making them sound as if they belonged that way. He then pulled out a third vinyl from apparent thin air, and spun it on his index finger of his right hand as if it were a frisbee. He then quickly raised the needle off of the record on the first table, dropped the volume on the other turntable, and stuck the record spinning on his finger under it, playing the album. With a liquid smooth transition, he raised the needle off of the record on his finger, and dropped it back on the vinyl that was already on the turntable.  
  
Ranma had to nod in appreciation at the skill the DJ was displaying, "Nice, he ain't bad at all!"  
  
"Is too, too skilled, yes?" Shampoo stated, equally impressed.  
  
The DJ spun away from the table with the third album still spinning his finger. When he was facing the extremely wild crowd again, the record was gone. With a flick of the wrist, he produced a fourth record, tossed it lightly into the air, and produced a throwing blade.  
  
The record was sliced in half in the air, and each piece was easily caught. The silver DJ dropped one half onto the first turn table, exactly where he needed it to be, causing two songs to play melody at once on the first table, while the second table supplied a louder base beat. His charisma was exploding even louder than the music, letting itself be felt through the vibes he played from the table as if he were a one-man orchestra of the future.  
  
Something came to in Shampoo's mind, just as the DJ began pumping his hands in the air to get the crowd roaring. She began to swear in Mandarin loudly, before grabbing onto Ranma's hand, and attempting to head back up the stairs.  
  
"Hold on! We just got here!" Ranma shouted, bracing himself.  
  
"Shampoo make it up to Ranma! We go now!"  
  
Shampoo found her path blocked by Akane, "Oh no, I think I like it here. Let's stay a while."  
  
"Akane welcome to stay, Ranma and Shampoo go now!"  
  
"Not until I got my dance," Akane said firmly, before getting an evil glint in her eye, "With both of you..."  
  
"Not-so-Rhythmless girl dance with imaginary Shampoo! Shampoo no feel so well!" To emphesize the point, the Amazon began coughing dramatically.  
  
her coughing fit was cut off by a loud 'ack', which happened to be her own, when she found Akane's arm around her waist. "I hear exercise is good for what ails ya," Akane said, dryly.  
  
Ranma shrugged, adjusting the arm that Akane had around him to fit against him better, "I'm with Akane on this. What's up?"  
  
"Yeah, what's wrong with you?"  
  
All three of them then noticed the generic mix, albeit good, playing at the same time. "looks like we missed the DJ," Akane stated, dejectedly, as glanced over to find the DJ booth occupied by Konatsu. "Come on, let's hold out until he returns-"  
  
"LOOK!" Someone in the crowd shouted over the music, pointing upwards. all heads turned to look, as a silver ball tumbled through the air. It fell to the ground, landing with a shockwave that shook the VIP floor, revealing itself to be a young man kneeling. His silver trenchcoat clashed with the soft white lightup tiles on the ground, as he slowly came to standing.  
  
"Not a problem," DJ Mu Tzu stated, "the DJ's still here."  
  
"Nice entrance!" Ranma complimented; he definitely liked the guy's style.  
  
Mu Tsu provided Ranma with a smirk and a nod, before turning to look directly at current intrest, "Been looking for you, Shampoo."  
  
"So, you're friends with the DJ, eh?" Akane stated, giving Shampoo a sideways smirk. It fell from her face, when she noticed the plain irritation on the lavender haired girl's expression.  
  
"What Mousse want," Shampoo demanded, unconciously scooting back against Akane.  
  
Mu Tsu frowned, "It's 'Mu Tsu', I don't care for that nickname anymore."  
  
"Mousse, Mu Tsu, is no difference. Still same stupid bother Shampoo in village!"  
  
"Oh..." Mu Tsu began to chuckle, "Au contrare, I'm far from the same man you once knew."  
  
"Mousse never man at all..."  
  
"Funny," Mu Tsu replied in a dry tone, "As I said, I've been looking for you, and found out you went and turned little raver girl on me."  
  
"Why Mousse care?"  
  
"Because of that, I decided that whatever change you made, I would do the same. I began studying under the greatest of DJs in Asia, Europe, and the US... when they were touring locally. And when I was ready, I hit the scene, in hopes of attracting the illustrious 'Shampoo' out of hiding."  
  
"That's a beautiful story, guy," Ranma interjected, getting another smirk and nod from Mu Tsu.  
  
"Well, apparently she's still not interested," Akane supplied for Shampoo, earning the latter's surprised look.  
  
Mu Tsu's frown returned, as he looked directly at Akane, "You seem awfully close to Xian Pu. Any friend of Shampoo's would allow her to make up her own mind."  
  
"She no Shampoo friend!" Shampoo stated, adimantly, not paying attention to raven-haired girl's own frown.  
  
"Oh?" Mu Tsu enquired, "Then, who..."  
  
Finding the right moment for a little payback of Shampoo's previous comment, Akane pulled herself closer into Shampoo, and with a sinister smile, replied, "Use your imagination."  
  
Ranma's eyes went wide. Shampoo's eyes went wide. Akane's eyes narrowed in triumph. Mu Tsu's eyes reddened behind his silver contacts.  
  
"You...." Mu Tsu began to seeth, "You would dare corrupt my Dear Shampoo in such a perverted manner?"  
  
Shampoo was shaking her head adimantly, but she was ignored. "Looks like she has business elsewhere, so why don't you get back up there, and play us a little tune," Akane stated condesendingly.  
  
With a growl, Mu Tsu jumped back, and shot out his right arm. Akane tilted to the side, just barely letting a streak of glowing pink on a chain shoot by her head. The silver-clad boy pulled his hand back, retracting the chain to a shorter length. He twirled it around, causing the glo-stick at the end to streak in the dark air, leaving a pink meandering comet's trail in its wake.  
  
"Before I prove you unworthy of Shampoo's affections, I would know your name," Mu Tsu demanded, allowing a green glo-stick on a chain to dangle from his left hand. He began to twirl both of them around in an interlocking pattern.  
  
Akane smirked as she lightly pushed Shampoo to the side; it was time for her to make the debute of her denom` at Ucchan's, "Succubus."  
  
Both Ranma and Shampoo froze after Akane hissed her name in a sensual manner. "SHE/SHE'S SUCCUBUS?!?"  
  
Akane internally smiled at that; Petra had gone through a great deal to get her somewhat well known. Something about having the most notorious students in Japan.  
  
"I've heard a little about you, some of it impressive, but ultimately nothing that would prove you more than a novice at the party." Mu Tsu stood on one leg, while twirling the glo-sticks like weighted chains in fingur eight patterns above and to the side of him, "Behold, the techniques mastered by only the greatest of DJs. A school so powerful, that the very rhythm of those who oppose it is enthralled. WITNESS, THE SCHOOLS OF THE SPINNING BEAT!"  
  
Akane just barely ducked away from the red streak that passed across her nose, and flipped back away of the green followup, "I AM THE SUCCUBUS OF THE RHYTHMER'S FIST SCHOOL OF DANCE AND MARTIAL ARTS!" She landed, placing her right hand on her chest, and her left hand across her hip, as she swayed sensually from side to side, "Bring it on, cutie!"  
_________________  
  
Akane found herself consistantly pressed throughout the fight. She dodged another razor sharp record, and attempted to close in on Mu Tsu again. As he had mentioned prior, the philosophy of his school was that the music was best heard from a distance, just as his attacks were delivered as such. She was also tiring out quickly, just as her opponent only seemed to become more infuriated.  
  
"Geez, what does it take to bring this guy down?" Akane asked herself, swaying out of the way of another attack.  
  
Ranma watched the fight anxiously, compelled by honor not to interfere. "Aw man, she's in way over her head, this time."  
  
"Is true," Shampoo replied with less emotion than she was actually going to admit to feeling. "Is too, too long, Akane waste much energy."  
  
Akane spun away from another strike, finding herself backed into the corner of the chained off center floor. Mu Tsu chuckled sinisterly, as he readied himself, "Well, this is where the career of the dear Succubus ends, any last words?"  
  
Trying to act non-chilant, Akane put her hands into her pockets, while leaning against the chain, "How about you spin '9 AM; Till I Come' by ATB for me before you off me. I would like to hear it at least one more time." As she spoke, she tried to think of possible solutions to her perdicerment. She COULD ask for Ranma's assistance, but...  
  
She blinked, when she felt something in her pockets that gave her an idea.  
  
Mu Tsu gave a nasty smile that was made all the more sinister by his silver contacts, "I will be your funeral song, how about that?"  
  
Akane concentrated, as she watched Mu Tsu, she may get this to work once, but she knew he was skilled enough to quickly anticipate her if she had to do it a second time, which meant the second half of her plan better work but *good*.  
  
The barrage Mu Tsu launched at her was like the garage sale for several retired disk jockeys and chain stores; a seeming wall of malice heading straight for the raven-haired girl. Akane seemed to lean off the wall in slow motion to herself, and into the oncoming onslaught. She felt out Mu Tsu's beat, and found it the hardest thing to adjust to that she could ever anticipate. It was as if he were mixing several different songs at once into one harmony. Nonetheless, she found the basebeat he was using.  
  
She danced through the attacks, and when an opening arrived, rolled to the side. Mu Tsu was dumbfounded that his attack had been evaded in the first place, but quickly turned to find Akane... kissing very shocked Shampoo with a good deal of passion, with an equally shocked Ranma standing by.  
  
"YOU... JEZEBEL!" Mu Tsu screamed out, forgoing all his weapons for a pair of reverse-blades. He charged at the two girls, aiming to behead Akane.  
  
The Tendou girl smiled in victory, finally managing to goad him into an upclose fight. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to be accomidating.  
  
"Moussie, hold this for me, it's getting hot in here!" Akane quickly threw the shirt she had been subtly unbuttoning into her attacker's face, momentarily causing him to pause. Within seconds, the shirt was nothing more than confetti.  
  
The silver-haired boy looked around furiously, only to find Ranma and Shampoo the only ones around, "WHERE IS SHE?!?" he looked up, just in time to see a foot descending into his face.  
  
Akane landed in a crouch, before slithering back up to standing like a sensual vamp. She turned to look down at the unconcious boy, and then back up to the top of the spiraling stairway she had descended from, "Boy, that was a light workout!"  
  
"Yeah, right," Ranma retorted, "Think that trick's gonna work a second time on him?"  
  
"Na," Akane replied, easily, "Then again, why don't you let him come after you the next go?"  
  
"Nu uh! I got Ryoga already. You deal with this one!"  
  
Akane snorted at the pigtailed boy, before striding over to a dazed Shampoo. The Tendou girl peeled off the ten thousand yen note that was still stuck to Shampoo's lips that had each side imprinted with lipstick from two different girls. Akane folded it up, and patted Shampoo on the shoulder, "I think I'll keep this in rememberance."  
  
Shampoo furiously came back to her senses, "AKANE!" Akane held out a hand to forestall any more complaints, but before she could speak, she collapsed forward into Shampoo.  
  
"Yeah, figured that last little trick woulda wore her out," Ranma stated, "Give her here, I'll take her home."  
  
Shampoo looked down at the nearly unconcious Akane, "No, Shampoo carry Akane. Shampoo owe Not-so-Rhythmless girl one."  
  
Ranma shrugged, "Alright, but she's kinda heavy..."  
  
"I'll... get you... for that later..." Akane mumbled against Shampoo's shoulder. Ranma and Shampoo ascended the spiraling stairs, the latter with Akane over her shoulder, unbeknownst that they were being watched by a steely-eyed Ukyo.  
  
"Mu Tsu-honey, looks like you'll be making regular appearances here, after all."  
_________________  
  
Ranma walked ahead of Shampoo, lost in his own thoughts. He had seen Akane go all out, and while it was nothing compared to even his casual ability at the moment, he was impressed at the strides in skill she had suddenly been making. Not as fast as his, of course, but still an impressive learning curve. Another thing had come to mind, how did that one chick that Akane was learning to dance from know his teacher's name?"  
  
Shampoo looked back to Akane's head, finding the girl she was carrying apparently asleep. her eyebrows furrowed, before she turned back to face forward. "Stupid Akane," Shampoo whispered, while adjusting her jean jacket she had put on Akane to protect her modesty, "Why you help Shampoo?"  
  
"Is... what friends... for..."  
  
Shampoo stiffened, before looking once again back at Akane's face, this time with a curious expression. 


	8. Chapter 8 'Nodoka'

Note: Mu Tsu's theme was 'Discover and Run' (K2K Mix) by Checco  
________________________  
________________________  
  
Rythmer's Fist  
  
::Nodoka's theme: '7 to 9' by Galaxyman::  
  
  
  
  
In every song, between the the bass and tempo, connected with the melody, there's a flow. A soft, sensual gliding of gentle, but powerful energy that commands movement. It rolls through you like calm waters of a gentle Caribbean bay, and entices you like sweet sin with no worries of penance. A silky caress that, once given to, commands you entirely.  
  
The divine movements that were like living whisps of smoke, twisting in human form, kept her audience in sheer awe. It was undeniable that there was a certain syncronicity with her almost etheral dance and the music of the club that went far beyond just mere 'staying on beat'. Long red hair that reached the middle of her back swayed like a crimson river, catching light in subtle ways that followed her dance, and never interrupted or contradicted the flow of her movements.  
  
The woman of her thirties rolled her fingertips on her right hand, then her wrist, her forearm, the upper arm, and her shoulder, like a controlled electric current generating a wave from where it started at the tip of her hand. It continued to her chest, encased in a black leather vest that came to her mid-drift. Her torso rolled as if it were a thin clothed scarf floating along a calm river, and the roll continued down her bare stomach, only decorated by a pierced outtie belly-button, through her hips, and down to her left leg.  
  
The flow commanded her to pivot her left foot in compliance, twisting the heel outward on the ball of her foot, and then twist it back in without seeming to cause a stop or break in the whole ordeal. The flow traveled back up jet black windpants decorated with a single red strip on each leg on the outside, and seemed to disappear, or expand suddenly to the rest of her body, as she turned to her right, rolled her arms down to her sides, placing her hands into her pockets, and moonwalking backwards.  
  
She turned, slowly, but seemingly snapping her hands out of her pockets, and dragged her left hand up her stomach, stopping at the bottom of her well-formed chest, and then rolling out to the side; once again concentrating the flow in an explicit area, and sending it through her like it was a part of her very blood-flow.  
  
Her mastery of her style of dance, Pop and Lock, was far more extraordinary than could be credited to a simple dance technique. Few could even hope to attain her level of form that was not just moves for the dance floor; but a new form of martial art all-together.  
  
For this, the fabled Mistress Blade, was respected and revered by generations young and peer.  
_________________________________  
  
"HALT! Foul fiend!"  
  
Ranma paused on the wall, returning home by himself, and looked down at the kendoist, "Something I can do for ya?"  
  
"That there is," Kuno replied respectfully, before launching himself at the pigtailed boy. Ranma casually lifted his forward leg, pulling it away from the verticle bokken swipe that tore through the cement wall.  
  
"You know? This attacking out of the blue thing is getting kind of old."  
  
Kuno turned around to face Ranma, as the pigtailed martial artist hopped from the wall, "Surely you jest, as that was but a warning. Verily, if I truly meant to fell you with but a strike, I would have done so."  
  
"you know? I can almost respect a guy who can lie with a straight face," Ranma replied in an amused tone, "So, ya got a reason for issuing deadly warnings, or are you just happy to see me?"  
  
"Indeed," Kuno brought his weapon to the fore, challenging Ranma menacingly with it, "for I have finally discovered a way to best your dark magics that seem to be rooted in the abysmal noise you generously refer to as 'music'."  
  
"Oh, ya did, didja?" Ranma enquired, interested in whatever the kendoist may have come up with this time."  
  
"Yes, you may subside with your feigned entheusiasm, as I know well you fear my uncanny prowess and tactical ability. Behold..." Kuno raised his bokken into the air, "The ultimate counter to the vile Rhythmer's Fist..." With that, Kuno began to boxstep around Ranma, "It lays within the civilized world that is the means of your defeat."  
  
Ranma held on dearly, trying his darndest not to laugh. This was gonna be fun...  
_________________________________  
  
"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT? WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THOSE TECHNIQUES? ABOUT USING THEM IN FRONT OF *HIM*?!?"  
  
Akane kept her arms folded, as her humored expression remained. She was undaunted by Petra's angry outbursts, in fact, found it novel to see her this ticked, "Well, it was kinda a thing of NOT DYING I had to consider. Sorry if my judgement was slightly off on that."  
  
"You don't get it, do you?" Petra seethed, "That... that menino is not supposed to know that YOU know some advanced Rhythmer's Fist so soon! You shouldn't even know that move for at least a year, yet!"  
  
"Well, you thought I could handle it sooner," Akane retorted, finally allowing the smug expression to melt from her face. "I don't get you, anyway. Why are you so bent on me not letting Ranma know about all this?"  
  
Akane's current mentor gave her a sideways glare, before turning away, "Doesn't matter now. He knows about it, hopefully he's as dense as his own mestre`, and won't put two and two together."  
  
Akane now unfolded her arms, as her face became serious, "What's this about, anyways? What aren't you telling me?"  
  
"Something I'll tell you in good time, estudante, and that will be the end of it."  
  
"Hey! You just can't blow me off like that and-"  
  
"NO MORE! THAT WILL BE THE END OF THIS!" Akane jumped, startled at the vehemance her teacher spoke. Also, that being the first time she had ever spoke fully in her native Porteguese tongue. Petra rubbed her temples, finally calming herself down. "Akane, moca. Let us drop this for the time being. I promise I will tell you it all when you are ready, or the time is right."  
  
Akane begrudgingly nodded, "Okay, but I'm holding you to that... Pet."  
  
The Brazilian woman's thinned eyebrow twitched a bit, before she took a deep breath, "We have someone we need to see that I need to introduce you to. She's a dear friend of mine, and quite a legend around Tokyo. She may have a few things to offer in your training."  
  
"Who?" Akane asked, intrigued to be meeting someone even Petra Allores, the notorious 'Rhythm's Eve', would refer to about her own student's training.  
  
"We shall let that be a secret for now. You find out in a few days," Petra replied with a firm tone that Akane decided not to argue with, "Just make sure that that boyfriend of yours don' be following us, si? We also got a lesson to be getting to, today."  
  
Akane nodded, ready and willing to learn.  
_________________________________  
  
"Ya know? I hardly get to spend time with you, these days," Ranma replied, as she rested on her side on Akane's bed, watching the other girl choose an outfit, "how about the red sports bra with the black leggings? with that red petticoat?"  
  
Akane mused over it, and almost nodded, before realizing something, "Hold on, why an outfit so similar to yours?"  
  
"Because everyone wants to be me," Ranma replied easily, rolling onto her back with her hands behind her head.  
  
  
"I think the world barely does well with only one of you, love," Akane replied, shaking her head.  
  
Ranma rolled onto her stomach, looking at Akane with a slightly hurt expression, "Why can't I come along? I've been spending all my time between clubbing with Shampoo, Kasumi, Nabiki; dealing with attacks from Ukyo, Konatsu, Tsubasa, Mu Tsu, Ryoga; and dealing with the old ghoul. I'm start'n to miss ya."  
  
"It's nice that I'm missed," Akane commented back, "Especially with your rather busy schedule." Ranma just shrugged, and decided to do stretches to ease her boredom. incidentally, she also used her exercises to hide her slightly upset expression. She didn't like being discluded from things, and she knew when she was being purposely kept in the dark about something.  
_________________________________  
  
The Womb  
  
As many times as Akane's been to the Shibuya district since she started learning Rhythmer's Fist, this was one club she had never ventured into. Akane leaned casually against the wall, as she had been instructed to remain while Petra searched for their query. Succubus looked up at the large viewscreen held high above everyone's head, standing contrast to the darkness that was scarred with searing beams of light that enhanced the mood. She watched the image move fluidly on the screen, strangly complimenting the trance song 'Carte Blanche' by Veracocha.  
  
Her own head was under level of the sea of bodies captivated by the music, while pale blue lights skimmed over the dancers like moonlight over torrentuous, but not quite stormy, waters.  
  
Enjoying the scene before her, as if it were a living work of art, a beacon in the sea caught her eye. Almost as if obeying a mental wish she had made. The 'waters' parted, giving her view of a woman with crimson hair, dancing with a style she had only seen on occation; Pop and Lock.  
  
Like a martial artist, the woman controlled every aspect of her body, willing it to move effortlessly with a flow that seemed impossible and beyond reality. At many times, Akane could swear she would dislocate something, or remove a limb alltogether in order to complete a motion. She knew that wasn't the case, as it was all part of a remarkable illusion; an illusion like the rippling stars in a slightly calm pond, or a waving mirage upon the horizon.  
  
"Amazing, she is."  
  
Akane released a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding, as Petra whispered in her ear loud enough to be heard over the pulse-pounding beat, "Is that?"  
  
"She goes by the Nome de Danca 'Madam Blade', because her motions are as sharp as the Samurai katana, as fluid a tempered edge can cut through the air, and as eliquent as a finely crafted blade."  
  
"She lives up to her namesake," Akane breathed, feeling a certain thrill go through her at the prospect of learning something, anything, from the woman before her, that was now striding towards her with the same confident walk that Petra, Shampoo, even Kasumi at her most sensuous displayed.  
  
The feeling in her sternum built until she felt trouble breathing, and the spell over her was finally relinquished, as the woman gave her a smile under her thin visor shades, and then nodded to her mentor.  
  
"Petra, it has been too long."  
  
"Aye, mi amiga. Tu danca bonita... as usual."  
  
"Only to keep you jealous, Pet," Madam Blade replied with an easy tone that held an alluring taint of proper and educated Japanese. It was far from what Akane had been expecting from a woman of the club scene.  
  
Petra sniffed, and turned her head away, "If it was not you, then it would be her. Why must you two insist on that insepid nickname?"  
  
"Only because I know it irritates you," Akane and Madam Blade said at the same time, before turning to each other, and chuckling.  
  
"Are you going to introduce me to your date? She is a bit young for you," the redhead enquired, while tossing her long red hear out with her hand. Akane had to note something extremely familiar about the woman, but she couldn't place it.  
  
"She not my date, she is my new estudante, 'Succubus'."  
  
"Oh?" Madam Blade tilted her head, and put her index finger against her chin; Akane at that moment would give anything to find out what was going on behind the visor she wore, "So, you're the one who's name has been popping up every so often, here and there."  
  
Akane found herself regressing to her previous personality, before Petra gave her confidence, "Um, I don't know if I'm that good."  
  
Petra slapped Akane on the rump, earning a squawk and indignant glare from the younger woman. "You not a master of the form yet, but you lightyears ahead of the povo out there..." With a devious smirk, Petra turned to Madam Blade, "Care to show them how to really move?"  
  
The redheaded woman's smirk matched the one the woman with the metalli-aqua hair wore, "Lead the way, Rhythm's Eve."  
_________________________________  
  
Akane stood at the edge of the circle that had formed immidiately when Madam Blade came to a stop on a spot on the dancefloor. She was well known enough that she always warrented her own dance space, and she always had an audience. The song that began to play was 'Another You' by Cappella; classic early to mid 90's style Euro-dance.  
  
She stood motionless as the song started up, building momentum like a runaway train that dared not allow any passengers to get off, or anything to get out of its path. Once it his full momentum her head snapped up. She dipped her chin, and then rolled it up, as she tilted her head to her left, making it seem to roll. Her torso turned to the left just after her head tilted that way, and like an awakened snake, her right arm rolled up from the shoulder, to the elbow, to the wrist, and through finger joints to the tip of the finger. Her left arm came up, outstretched and perpendicular with her body, and seemed to continue the roll, starting at its own shoulder, to the elbow, to the wrist, and out the fingertips.  
  
Like a ball on a tether, the flow came back through her left arm, reversing the roll of her body from before, and seemed to center in the chest. As it arrived at her bosom, her right hand, which the palm was towards her chest and pointing to her left side, turned up to her head, and dragged down, following the flow that changed directions at a 90 degree angle to flow down to her sternum, through her stomach, to her hips.  
  
She again turned to her left, placing her left hand's fingertips on her forehead, as she sunk down, sticking her right leg out to the right side, while her right hand rested on its front thigh. She rotated her wrist on her left hand counter-clockwise, causing her shoulder to roll along with it, and her torso to sway slightly to the right, as she rotated her neck remeniscent of a cobra's sway. She slid her right leg in while rising, bringing herself to standing, and walked to her left in a tight circle, before stopping, and folding her arms.  
  
Rhythm's Eve strode out, and gave Madam blade a haughty smirk, as if replying to a challenge. her head snapped to the right, and then back. At that moment, her body seemed to glide to her left, leaving her right leg behind in its wake. Balanced on her left leg, her right hand came up, and the palm cupped her forehead, immidiately followed by her torso turning to face her right leg, and her left hand grasping the right's forearm, just above the elbow.  
  
With a toss of her hips to the left, she brought her right leg up tightly, with the heal of her right foot against her firm backside. As she threw her arms up, crossed at the wrist, and spun to her left tightly in a manner that would leave champion figureskaters seething with envy.  
  
She suddenly came to a stop, with her feet spread about two feet apart, and her arms down at an angle with fingers splayed. She was leaning back, with her head tossed back, allowing the lights about to capture and reflect within her metallic blue tresses. Slowly, oh, so sensuously, she brought her head down to face a nodding Madam Blade, allowing the redheaded woman to see the smug and content expression on her face.  
  
The Battle was on.  
  
Akane stood, awestruck as everyone else, as they watched the danceoff between the two women. It almost seemed like a martial arts battle, the way they interacted with each other, like when she had first seen Ranma face off against Ryoga. Instead, unlike Ranma and Ryoga's battle, which seemed like two elements of nature colliding; water and earth, Madam Blade and Rhythm's Eve's battle was like energy; lightning and thunder, or treble and base. The Redhead controled the tempo, while the metallic haired woman provided the beat.  
  
It seemed as if Akane was witnessing what the art was truly about, the charisma, the energy, the force behind it all. It was impossible not to feel as if you were a part of it, as it permeated the being. The two dancers in the middle of the dancefloor were the conductors, orchestrating the symphony of thumping hearts commited by all those who observed.  
  
Suddenly, Akane realized that they had stopped, and were looking at her expectantly. Her mentor beckoned her with a faint motion of her hand, but Akane could see it like an overbearing neon sign. Who was she to resist? She was powerless to refuse the call. Succubus entered the circle.  
  
Succubus turned to her left in a dart, and then to her right. She stopped, still with her torso turned to the right, but her face turned to the two older women; as her left hand, with the palm towards the floor, slashed out to her left, halfway back to her right, then back out to her left, with her left knee following the motions.  
  
She shifted her weight onto her right leg, and swung her left leg towards her right, making it rotate at the hip into a full circle. It landed with her foot braced on the ball, while her backside was thrust back, and her chest thrusted out. Her head was tilted back, as she felt the heady vibes caressing her brain like a lover's touch, and the lights above dancing across her face like welcomed sunlight after the coldest winter.  
  
It coaxed her, telling her she had no more time to pause, to savor the delightful feeling, as she went back into motion. She tossed her right hand across her chest, and swung it up and around in a circle. Her right hand came to rest on her left waist, as her left arm wrapped around her to rest its hand on her right waist. She swayed to the rhythm, giving a slight shimmy as she did so. After a few sways, she stopped, rocked her hips once from left to right, and kicked into the side splits; holding it with seemingly no effort.  
  
From the smiles of approval from her two mentors, and the exuberance of the crowd, the Succubus was accepted.  
_________________________________  
  
"Your reputation is well earned," Madam Blade commented, as she sipped on her drink. Succubus nodded, sipping on her own alcoholic beverage that her mentor insisted on her having.  
  
"Si, she is coming a long way, just you had, moca."  
  
Madam Blade almost chocked on her drink, "Don't remind me." With a wistful sigh, she leaned back in her chair, "I was definitely a different being back then, was I not?"  
  
"Pining after your husband and son he stole, what? Ten years ago?" Rhythm's Eve commented, earning a disgusted snort from the redheaded woman.  
  
"I was an idiot to agree with that, but I've grown because of it."  
  
"You have a family?" Succubus enquired, suprised that this woman before her would possibly have a domestic life.  
  
"Yes, somewhere out there. I should hunt them down some time," Madam Blade sat up, pondering the idea, "Yes, I think that's just what I'll do, and I know exactly where to start."  
  
"Hmm?" Succubus urged, taking larger sips from her tall glass, feeling the bite lesson on it, while her head began to grow a bit light.  
  
"An old training partner of my Husband's. They studied under the same master, and as I recall, they made some rediculous pact with each other. If anything, I should probably track them down to ensure my dear husband hadn't done anything foolish... again."  
  
Succubus nodded, before looking at her now empty drink; she didn't even realize she had finished it all. "How did you get interested in all of this? I mean, if you have a family and all... did you always dance?"  
  
"Actually, that was my doing." Succubus turned to her mentor curiously, as Madam Blade order the young woman a refill. "Poor woman was wandering around, determined to do something with herself for the night, and I was new in town, and trying to make friends, as it were."  
  
"You tried to pick her up?" Succubus asked with a drunken smirk. She then glared, after her mentor slapped her upside the head.  
  
"I said make friends, get your mind out of the gutter."  
  
"Anyhow, to make a long story short," Madam Blade smirked at Succubus rubbing the back of her head, "and less painful, the two of us ended up in a night club, where we watched these young men dancing in a way I had never seen before. Pet encouraged me to try, and I found it rather invigorating. After a while, I became good at it, and found that I could apply my tai chi practices to it. As I did so, something 'clicked', and the rest is history, as they say."  
  
"Incredible, you actually applied it with martial arts without training in the Rhythm Fist?"  
  
"Heh," Madam Blade chuckled, "I managed to invent the third branch of the Rhythm Fist, according to Pet. And she asked me to help instruct you in it."  
  
Succubus blinked, "Thaaat would be cool!"  
  
Both masters of their respective versions of the Rhythmer's Fist looked at each other, before turning back to the younger woman. "I think we'll have to put off your learning until another time, moca. You never drank before I'm guessing?"  
  
"Howd u guess?" Succubus asked.  
  
"Just as well, I think I'll begin my search tomorrow. It was nice to meet you again, Pet, along with your protoge`!" With that, Madam Blade got up from the table, and left.  
  
"Come on, moca, we need to get you home in relative peace. Good thing you have no school tomorrow."  
_________________________________  
  
Akane woke up, cursing the way too bright light in her window. she checked her clock, and grimaced. Kasumi usually never let her sleep in that long.  
  
Akane found herself still dressed from clubbing the night before, and gathered a set of casual clothes to dress after taking a bath. As she made her way down the stairs, she heard a knock at the door.  
  
Kasumi gave her a brief greeting, as she passed by to answer it. With curiosity, Akane followed.  
  
"...band and my son."  
  
"Oh! Are you looking for Uncle Genma and Ranma? They're out front in the midst of their morning spar," Kasumi answered, just as Akane came from behind her sister.  
  
"Oh! It's been so long since I've seen them! Can I-"  
  
Akane looked at the matronly woman with deep auburn hair that had bordered on dark red, done in a tight bun. Something about her seemed a bit familiar, but Akane couldn't place it, "Do I know you from somewhere?"  
  
The woman stared back with wide-eyed shock and panic. "ah... I don't believe so, I have been in this neighborhood a few times, though," she hastefully replied, before quickly rushing by the two young women, "You said my son was out front? Oh, and my husband?"  
  
She made it outside, just in time to see her husband and son collide in the air above the ornamental fish pond... 


	9. The Dancers Omake

Rhythmer's Fist

The Dancers

Ranma Saotome

Club name; 'The Untouchable' (Male), 'Lil Red' (Female)

Style: High Intensity, break dancing

Preferred music: Treble and Bass, High Energy

Preferred artists: System F, Mayflyer, DJ Icey, Deiselboy

It's all about style. Ranma Saotome began as a legend as soon as he debuted on the dance floor. With a finesse that is loaded with pure, unadulterated, confidence and chic style, in the spotlight or on the battle ground, he's 'The Untouchable'. A master of all styles of groove and move are what make Ranma the best there is.

Recently, another rose up to the challenge of taking on the reputation the great Saotome left behind. 'Lil' Red' hadn't been around for more than a couple of months, but there's already talk of what a battle between the two would be on the dance floor. To the Asian Techno Underground, it would be a dream match come true.

Ryoga Hibiki

Club Name (Capoeirastylas): Vadeir de Caos (Wander of Chaos)

Style: Angola Capoeira

Preferred music: Jungle, South American High Energy

Fave artists: Jungle Bros., M-People (mainly with General Levy), Magic Marmalade

A slight detour while hunting Ranma's trail led a Young Ryoga on a boat to South America, instead of China. For several months, Ryoga attempted to find his way back, while incidentally arriving in one of the Meccas of Brazilian Martial Arts, Bahia. Befriending a mestre of the art of Capoeira while wandering through one of the many slums, he learned his technique of Angola Capoeira to an impressive degree. Picking up the trail on Ranma, Ryoga found himself in Jusenkyo.

That trip to Brazil was probably the best thing to ever happen to the Wander of Chaos; the philosophy of Capoeira, and the attitudes of most of his fellow Capoeirastylas served to lighten his own mood up. He's still hell-bent on making Ranma's life difficult, but now not for the reason of getting even, but getting ahead and bragging about it.

Shampoo:

Club Name: 'Wonder Woman'

Style: Amazon Rave, Trance flow

Preferred Music: Happy Hardcore

Fave artists: Tokyo Ghetto Pussy

Powerful and skilled as she is cute, 'Wonder Woman' detoured through the Cantonese lands at the advise of her great-grandmother, if she wished to prove herself a match for the redhead that easily dealt with her at the village tourney. Shampoo did just that.

In just a few scant months, Shampoo developed one of the greatest Amazon-derived forms of several generations with more ease than she could have comprehended. With her bull's-eye on Ranma, it's time for her technique to be put to the test.

Ukyo Kuonji:

Club Name: 'MISS Ukyo' (emphasis and respect on the 'MISS')

Style: Fan Dancing

Preferred music: Trance, Progressive Trance, GOA

Fave Artists: Antoine Clamaran, Tozer

Shafted by her childhood friend, Ukyo vowed that she would get her revenge on Ranma for leaving her behind. During her quest to track down Ranma, she learned of his involvement with the Rave scene, and considered an avenue of vengeance that would greatly satisfy her honor. With that in mind, she contacted an aunt who happened to run a small club up in Hokkaido, as well as being a well versed practitioner of a formidable style of martial arts.

Ukyo is unshakeable; as cool as the artic snow. To find yourself on her bad list is to find yourself in a world of hurt.

Tsubasa Kunerai:

Club Name: 'Nic'

Style: Euro-dance (Reserved style)

Preferred music: Euro-Dance

Fave Artists: Cappella, D'Nessa, Audio Cult, Catapila

The most beautiful girl he had ever seen came through his town one day, and Tsubasa swore they would be together. Ukyo at first was not amused by his persistence, his laments, his irritating talent of disguise, but eventually began to admire his perseverance. Looking into assistance on her own quest, she took Tsubasa under her wing.

Not a great fighter as his counter-part, but the better dancer of the two, 'Nic' is about sensual energy that arises from the masses.

Konatsu:

Club Name: 'Nac'

Style: Euro-Dance (High Energy)

Preferred Music: Trance

Fave Artists: The Prodigy, Re-Flux

On the request of her Aunt, Ukyo paid a formal visit to a rival school, situated in an inconspicuous teahouse. Most of the practitioners of the school were easily dealt with, except for one. Ukyo ended the stalemate between herself and Konatsu, and offered him a place beside her. There was no hesitation in the acceptance of the offer.

'Nac' prefers the intense energy that flows through the crowded dance floor; using it to fuel his dance and fighting ability.

Akane Tendou:

Club Name: 'Succubus'

Style: Sensual, High Energy

Preferred music: High Energy, Progressive Trance

Fave artists: ATB, Ayla, Paradisio, Skye

Before Ranma showed up, Akane only knew her innocent, if not hectic, life. She was one of the top martial artists in Nerima, and she was content. After that, she was given a taste of what life was with a surge of heady adrenaline intermingled with sheer abandonment. How could she go back to a life of that, and how would her damaged pride allow her to go forward? Above all that, how could she recover her broken confidence? Petra Allores had the answers to those questions. And thus, Succubus was born; because the loss of innocence is sooooooo good!

Mu Tsu:

Club Name: DJ Silver Edge, DJ Dux (cursed form)

Style: DJ

Preferred music: whatever moves the crowd

Fave Artists: Himself

Returning from his own training mission to find that his childhood beloved had journeyed on a quest to better herself, Mousse followed without hesitation. He came to realize that with Shampoo now running with a different crowd, he would have to change his own image for her to even look in his direction again.

Extensive training under the world's greatest touring DJs had allowed Mousse to develop his own unique style of DJing and fighting. Mu Tzu's confidence is only rivaled by Ranma's own, making it ironic that the two get along together. Of course, DJ Silver Edge doesn't know of Ranma's relationship with Shampoo...

Nodoka Saotome:

Club Name: 'Madam Blade'

Style: Pop 'n' Lock

Preferred music: So many to choose from

Fave Artists: Mr. Wiggles, does he count?

A housewife without a family to take care of usually find themselves with quite a bit of free time on their hands. A chance meeting with a foreigner woman who would become her best friend, introduced the Saotome matriarch to the underground world of Rave.

'Madam Blade' is to Nodoka what Superman is to Clark Kent. Even her own mentor in the art of Pop 'n' Lock has to look upon her in awe. With a boneless fluidity with movements as sharp as her namesake, she is an icon of Tokyo's club scene.

Petra Allores:

Club Name: 'Rhythm's Eve'

Style: Rhythmer's Fist (Yin Style)

Preferred music: Caribbean/ Latin Club

Fave Artists: Limitless selection!

Upbeat and mysterious, Akane's own mentor in the art of Rhythmer's Fist is a living embodiment of what Rhythmic nightlife is all about, sexy, alluring... indomitable. The Notorious 'Rhythm's Eve' is a fable, recounted by those who prowl the clubs of Tokyo. Occasionally she's seen, and word has it, she's found her own heir...

The players have been introduced, it's time to move onto...

Rhythmer's Fist; TROUBLE AND BASS!!!


	10. Trouble and Bass Ep 1: 'Ranma's Mother'

Rhythmer's Fist Season 2; Trouble and Bass  
'Ranma's Mother!'  
The matronly woman stood frozen, as she watched the young redhead wrestling with a large panda in the fish pond in the back yard. After several moments, she was able to find her voice, "Oh my."  
  
The panda froze from it's position of being dunked headfirst, managing to make its own fur become pale. The redhead looked up at the new arrival, and blinked, "Whoa, babe alert..."  
  
"Ah..." the woman stalled, not sure what to say about the compliment, "th-thank you... young... lady."   
  
Before the girl could say anything else, she was forced to dodge a rather violent blow from the panda, "Hey! Pops! Can't you see I'm talking with a beautiful person, here?"  
  
"Great way to make an impression, 'girlfriend'," Akane commented from behind the older woman, causing her to jump. Akane meant to emphesize Ranma's current gender, allowing the redhead to realize the ackwardness the woman must be feeling from being scoped out by a younger girl.  
  
Ranma was barely paying attention, as the panda's attacks became desperate. As she redhead easily evaded each blow as if it were part of a dancegroove, she noted that the panda was sweating, and not just from the workout or the water of the pond.  
  
"[New Training Regimen; Come Catch me, girl!]" The panda's sign taunted, noting the word 'boy' was exed out.  
  
Ranma shrugged, and gave chase. She estimated with her father's uncanny ability to run away, she should have finished this task in five minutes, before returning to look at the gorgeous woman that had arrived a few minutes ago.  
  
"What an odd... girl," the matronly woman voiced, staring after them, "she seems like a great martial artist."  
  
"She has skill," Akane replied, before yawning, "So, you're Ranma's mother?" Akane smirked, "I see where he gets his looks."  
  
Nodoka just managed to withold her eye-twitch; a certain Brazilian woman was certainly rubbing off on the younger generation."  
  
"Thank you for the compliment, but it's not a very lady-like thing to say."  
  
Akane smirked, while stretching the morning kinks out, "I prefer being the tomboy, anyways."  
  
"oh?" the older woman questioned, folding her arms with her long bundle inside the crook of her elbow, "You're certainly going about it the right way, hitting on older women. What would the young men say?" She leaned back a bit, and allowed a devious smirk to cross her face.  
  
"Probably that they would pay good money to see the two of you together," Nabiki commented, walking by. Her comment was followed by Kasumi's giggle.  
  
Akane thought the panache that the older woman delivered the quip was pretty darn familiar. "You sure I don't know you?" Akane asked, narrowing her eyes, and trying to picture where she had seen the woman before.  
  
"Um... you said my son and husband were back here?" Nodoka asked, quickly dropping the smirk, and changing the subject.  
  
Akane shrugged, dropping her question, "They... will be back momentarily." She decided it may be best to leave out the mention of Ranma and his father's curse for the time being out of prudence.  
  
"Oh," Mrs. Saotome replied, a bit downcast, before she brightened up, "My son must be so active! Could you tell me a little about him before they come back?"  
  
"Sure," the raven-haired girl replied, before recalling something, "Oh! I never told you my name, I apologise." The girl bowed before the older woman, "I'm Akane Tendou."  
  
Nodoka had forgotten that she supposadly hadn't been introduced to the girl, "That's alright."  
  
Akane lead them back to the tea room, where Kasumi had set the plates out for breakfast. Akane noted that her oldest sister was setting out an extra place. "So, what would you like to know about him?"  
  
Nodoka found herself at a loss of what she wanted to ask, before an idea came to her. Doing her sincere best to hide her almost evil smile, the matriarcal woman enquired, "First, is my son manly?"  
  
Akane blinked, and blinked again, "Um, is this a personal question? I mean he is a cute guy and all, but I'm kinda... you know... waiting?"  
  
"Oh," Nodoka said with a frown, "Well, you said he was cute?"  
  
"Yeah," Akane replied, "He's got a nice smile, even if it ends up more as an obnoxious smirk. And those gorgeous gray eyes of his. And the way he can move that tight little tush of his..." Akane made an act of smacking her lips, and then licking them.  
  
"My, you sure he hasn't proven his manliness to you," Nodoka replied, feigning being taken aback by the girl's brashness. She mentally noted to smack someone upside the head for her bad influence.  
  
"You sound like you're eager for grandchildren or something," Akane quipped, slightly irritated at the insinuation.  
  
"Well," Nodoka's eye glimmered, as her smile returned, "That... and it is a contractual obligation..."  
  
"What do you mean? Mrs. Saotome?" Nabiki interjected, finding the conversation a bit more interesting.  
  
"Well," the older woman straightened out her kimono, and pulled out a parched sheet of paper from somewhere, "Before I would allow my husband to take Ranma on a training trip, he made a vow that he would make my son a man among men, lest they commit ritual suicide to atone for failure."  
  
She laid the contract before the two sisters, before retrieving her bundle from the side of her. With skillful practice, she unwrapped the ricecloth from around it, presenting the sheathed Saotome Honor sword, "I will be their second, in that event." Her free left hand went to cover her left cheek, "Oh, I do hope it doesn't come to that..." In the kitchen, a plate had shattered on the floor.  
  
Neither of the girls were paying much attention, as they were busy trying to breath again. They both snapped their wide eyes back to the obviously insane woman, allowing her to see their extremely pale complextions. At that moment, a certain redhead entered, dragging an unconcious panda, and looking at the other woman warily.  
  
Nodoka noticed the two girls' eyes suddenly become wider, as they focused on someone behind her, "Hmm? Is there someone behind me?" As she turned, the sword she was unsheathing to show to two sisters the quality of the blade, flew from her hands, and embedded right in the floor before the now startled redhead.  
  
"Oh, I'm such a butterfingers with this thing! Oh my, you're that girl that was playing with the panda in the fish pond? That's not a very proper thing for a young lady to do." Nodoka stood up, retrieved her sword from in front of the rigid still girl, and bowed, "May I ask your name."  
  
The redhead shook herself out of her shock, but was still a bit out of it, "Um... R-Ran-"  
  
"KO! RANKO!" Akane interjected, rather loudly. She quickly shot to her feet, before putting her arm around 'Ranko's' shoulders, "Hey, Ran*ko*, can I talk to you for a moment... in private?"  
  
As Akane lead the shorter girl away to discuss certain life-threatening matters, Nodoka sighed, testing the balance of her sword, before kneeling at the head of the unconcious panda, "Why hello there, Mr. Panda..."  
____________________  
  
Akane and Ranma returned to find Nodoka chatting animatedly with new newly dubbed 'Mr. Panda', before she noticed the two girls' return. The girl she was rather familiar with, the one that was Petra's student, wore a nervous grin, while the other one had an expression of unamused disbelief. She turned back to Mr. Panda, and continued her story.  
  
"Ranma so eager to affirm his honorable intentions, as you can see from his numerous handprints on the contract, wouldn't you agree, Mr. Panda?"  
  
"Of course.. the only one who would marry a moron like Pops would be a bloodthirsty sociopath. Maybe someone shoulda mowed down the family tree at the roots years ago," Ranko replied in a dry tone, before turning back to Akane, "Hell, this is totally rhythmless."  
  
"And I would hack like this, and this, and HAI, HAI HA-oops!"  
  
"Huh?" Ranko turned around, just in time to bend backwards at the waist at a ninety degree angle, avoiding the blade that was imbedded in the wall next to her, vibrating just inches from her nose.  
  
"Oh my," Nodoka replied, retrieving her sword, as gravity fully took hold of Ranko, and forced her to fall backwards. "I'm not very good with swords, still," She continued, removing her white headband from her demonstration of what she would be like as the second to her son and her husband's seppuku, "I guess I need to practice more often..."  
  
Ranko remained in the shape of a right angle, as she continued to stare up into space. Nodoka didn't seem to notice, "Perhaps I should have them take turns instead of doing them both at the same time. It may take me more than a couple of swings to do the two of them at once, that could be messy!"  
  
Ranko and the panda began to grow deathly pallor.  
  
"I know! Ranma can go second, that way he can watch his father!" Nodoka beamed at the solution, clapping her hands together, forgetting she was holding a sword.  
  
The panda stared at the blade, wobbling between its legs.  
  
"Perhaps I should sheeth this thing before someone gets hurt," Nodoka joked, as she worked the sword from the wood floor. She then turned to the redhead, "So, Ranko, how is it you're associated with the Tendous?"  
  
"Ah..." Ranko shifted her eyes to the side, "I'm Akane's cousin, or something..."  
  
"Oh, that's a relief!" the older woman sighed, placing her hand against her chest, "For a moment, I thought you were Akane-dear's intimate lover or something rather. My imagination!" Her hand went to her cheek in chagrin as she finished.  
  
"Hey, Panda-man, let's go have a little chat..." a now non-comatose Ranko enquired to the stone frigid panda, dragging the animal to the bathing room.  
  
Akane's eye twitched, finding the comment well too familiar to her own instrutor in the Art of the Rhythmer's Fist, "You really do remind me of someone I know..."  
  
"Um, so where's your father?" Nodoka quickly changed the subject.  
  
"He's out at a town meeting I think," Akane replied, while wondering to herself why the other woman constantly became evasive.  
  
"Oh, I was hoping he could explain a few things to me," Nodoka replied, before she perked back up, "So, why don't you tell me a little about my son, are you his girlfriend...?"  
____________________  
  
"Gee, Pop," a now male Ranma started in a casual tone, as he sat next to his father in the bath, "Truthfully, is that my mother? If so, you think her homicidal bloodlust is hereditary?"  
  
Genma nodded solumnly, "Yes, Ranma, that truly is your mother. As for your second question, why do you-" Genma looked towards Ranma, and noticed the flat stare coming from his son, "oh..."  
  
"Well, before I relieve you of the burden of ritual suicide, would you mind explaining to me WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING THROUGH THAT SKITCHED UP HEAD OF YOURS?!?"  
  
"RANKO! I heard a boy's voice!" Nodoka entered, waving the Saotome Honor blade around, finding the bathroom nearly destroyed, and cold water spraying about, "I was concerned that a pervert may have invaded your privacy!"  
  
"Ah, just me and panda-man rais'n a ruckus, heh... heh..." Ranko replied, still holding onto the faucet nossle.  
  
"Well, I could have sworn I saw a pigtailed boy and a strange old man..." Nodoka mused, "I guess that was my imagination again!"  
  
"I guess so!" Ranko replied, planting Mr. Panda's face into a nearby wall before he could sign anything.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes at the spectacle, "Now I know where Ranma gets that dense skull of his..." Difficult to note if she was referring to Genma or his wife.  
____________________  
  
"A whole night?" Ranma dry-toned, staring at the three Tendou sisters inhabiting Nabiki's room.  
  
"Well, she seemed so upset that she had... just missed you," Kasumi replied, managing to also sound chiding. Of course, her slight smirk and folded arms may have helped.  
  
Ranma rolled her eyes, "I think there's an all-night rave downtown..."  
  
All three sisters gained irritated expressions, but didn't voice their opinions. "And where is it being held?" Akane decided to ask, already knowing the answer coming.  
  
"Somewhere... downtown..." Ranma sat on the bed and huffed, "I guess you guys won't let me skip out on this little sleepover, huh?"  
  
"Ranma, she misses her son," Kasumi stated after an ackward pause, "Even if you can't be with her as a boy... at least get to know her."  
  
"Hmph, well, with that little complication concerning MY DEATH, you'll forgive me if I don't miss her as much." Everybody easily noted the emptiness of the redhead's words. Ranma continued, after recovering from her internal wince, "Sorry if you guys have a problem with that."  
  
"Good you noticed that we *do* have a problem with that," Nabiki snapped, turning away from the pigtailed girl that was currently infuriating her. "Here's a little fact for you, Ranma, There are three people in this room, who, no matter how hard they wish, will never see their mother again."  
  
Ranma couldn't see Nabiki's expression, since she had turned back to her desk, but her heaving shoulders told the redhead of the middle sister's mood. Ranma turned to Akane, finding her leaning against the wall with her arms folded and eyes closed, her slightly opened mouth shuddered as she fought to control her breath, and a glance towards Kasumi found the eldest Tendou sister looking towards the floor with her hands clasped in front of her.  
  
With a grumble, Ranma relented, "Alright, she might not be all that serious about the seppuku thing, but I ain't making any promises."  
____________________  
  
Ranma rolled over in the futon she was currently sharing with the older woman, sighing at her predicerment. "Ah well, just for one night, I guess. Ain't like she'll be here forever, and she does seem pretty lonely."  
  
Ranma rolled back over, and stared at the ceiling in thought, "Still, it's kinda bothering me, why is it I don't want her to leave? I mean, the moment she finds out who I really am..."  
  
"Ranma, is that you?"  
  
At the sound of her name, the pigtailed girl leapt onto her father, fearfully staring at the woman she was sharing a bed with. "Ah... she... she didn't figure it out, did she?" Ranma felt the urge to wipe her brow of sweat; for the first time she could remember, she was losing her cool.  
  
"My son..." Nodoka mumbled in a distant voice, earning Ranma's sigh of relief.  
  
"Ah, she's just dreaming, that's cool," Ranma thought in relief, climbing off of Mr. Panda to return to bed. It was then she noticed a tear sliding down the older woman's cheek.  
  
"Ranma..."  
  
"Man, I... I guess she really does care for me..." With a firmed resolve, Ranma made a decision, and moved her hand to wake the woman, her mother, up.  
  
::SNIKT!!:  
  
"RANMA, WHY HAVE YOU BROKEN YOUR OATH?!? WHY AREN'T YOU ACTING LIKE A MAN?!?"  
  
The Tendou sisters found Nodoka sighing contently in her sleep, a family katana imbedded in the wall above a shivering young pigtailed girl head, as she resided in the arms of a nervously sweating panda who was staring at the blade vibrating against his nose.  
  
"Poor Auntie Saotome," Nabiki commented.  
  
"Looks like she was having a pretty bad nightmare," added Kasumi.  
  
Nodoka contentadly giggled in her seemingly peaceful sleep.  
____________________  
  
"Oh, I had such a refreshing night!" Nodoka cooed, as she came into the tea room stretching, and carrying the Saotome Honor Blade.  
  
All the Tendous were present and accounted for, along with 'cousin' Ranko and Mr. Panda. The 'visiting relative' turned her head down towards the table where nobody would supposadly hear her grumble, "I'm glad someone did, you sadistic old-"  
  
"Oh-oh my! I am so clumbsy with this thing!"  
  
Like the clarion all of a red alert at defcon 5 under threatcon delta, Ranko snapped to attention, feeling the rhythm of things around her, including the bobbing of the sword being fumbled out of the sheath by the matronly woman. Effortlessly, Ranko started to twist out of the way, now prepared for the threat coming at her.  
  
Imagine her surprise when the rhythm of Nodoka's fumbling hands changed to match her pattern.  
  
"ACK!!!!" Ranko *BARELY* managed to contort herself out of the way of the sword, and stared at the blade that was imbedded where she had been sitting, before passing out.  
  
"Perhaps I should keep this wrapped, to prevent further occurances..." Nodoka replied in a chagrinned tone, before moving into the kitchen to help with breakfast. It would be nice to help cook for a family, again.  
____________________  
  
"I thank you for your hospitality," Nodoka bowed to everyone present to see her off in gratitude.  
  
"We all hope you return again, soon," Kasumi replied, giving a withering glance towards a comatose pigtailed girl as the Tendou Patriarch held her up by the back of her shirt.  
  
Nodoka smiled, and turned to leave. Even if she didn't get to see her son again, she was glad to be around such a family, including her daughter.  
  
"I wonder how long they intend to keep up that rediculous charade?" Nodoka mused to herself, giddy for seeing her child... and husband (she reminded herself... in afterthought), "I hope not too long, I really have to hear how they came across such interesting abilities to change like that..."  
  
Nodoka's face grew into a devious smirk, as she walked out the front gates of the Tendou home. She had to admit, though, the reaction she got from Ranma when she thought she was asleep was priceless.  
  
To relieve herself of some of her giddiness, she deftly unwrapped the sword she carried around with her, quickly unsheathed it, tossed it into the air, before spinning around, and twirling the sheath in her left hand.  
  
Perfectly, the sword fell back into the sheath, before it was wrapped back up again. She ignored the incredulous stares from people out early in the morning, and continued to the trainstation. "I need to really stop playing with this thing, someone could get hurt!"  
____________________  
  
From one of the windows that faced the Tendou front gates, Nabiki chuckled. She had suspected, but that stunt outside the gates when Nodoka thought no one would see her clenched it. "Ranma-kun, that's one EVIL mother you have there." 


	11. Trouble and Bass Ep 2 'Ryoga's Corpo Fec

Rhythmer's Fist: Trouble and Bass  
"'No challenge', you say?" Akane replied with an arched tone that belayedthe current amount of irritation she was experiencing. Even through that, there was a subtle hint of amusement, and the want to prove exactly how far her abilities had now come. Unfortunately, she had been forbidden to do so by her own current master.  
  
"Nada, nilch, zip. Don't get me wrong, you've come a long way, kid, but you still ain't come close to finishing the journy that is on the level with Ranma Saotome," The pigtailed boy commented, casually, as he swayed to tbe beat only he was able to hear.  
  
Akane recognized the beat easily, 'Gouryella'.  
  
Ranma almost stumbled, when he heard Akane mumble the song he was currently thinking of, "Yeah, A DJ Triesto and System F masterpiece. What made you think about that particular song?"  
  
Akane hid her own private smirk, "Listened to it recently. Anyways, Ranma, sounds like you just need to drop a peg or two, before someone yanks you down."  
  
The pigtailed boy hopped onto the wall next to them, oblivious to the edge in the girl's voice, "What can I say? humility is waisted on the humiliated! You find someone who can match style and breakbeat, point them in my direction."  
  
"Ey, camara`! Dis petit arrow be aim'n for ya!"  
  
Ranma dropped backwards from the wall, just in time to miss Ryoga's foot slam through the top of it. Akane blinked, as Ryoga landed, gave her a short bow, and turned to face the newly created hole in the cement barrier.  
  
"Hey, Ryoga, how goes?" Ranma enquired, standing non-plussed on the other side of the hole.  
  
"Eh, Asi asi," Ryoga replied with an easy shrug, "Anyways, I think I'm supposed to humiliate you?" With that, Ryoga slowly began to sway, before sinking into his rhythmic Ginga Dance, the traditional stance of Capoeira.  
  
"Doubt you can do it, but interesting enough to see you try," Ranma replied almost haughtily, before he began skipping around into his own dancing stance. "Would ask what you been up to lately, but you look eager to get this dance on."  
  
"Heh, I can show you, just as well, camara`," Ryoga did several backhand springs into the middle of the street, before beckoning Ranma to follow. The pigtailed boy strolled out to meet his opponent for the face-off.  
  
"So, what you got to show me today, kid?"  
  
With a light smirk, Ryoga suddenly dropped into a negativa`, with his weight supported on his squatted right leg and braced right arm, while his left arm shielded his face, and his left leg extended, causing him to form a slope. Suddenly, Ryoga shifted to his left, never rising off the ground, and fell into an au`; a quick cartwheel across the front of Ranma. "I'm shown' you a boot to the head!"  
  
The pigtailed boy faded back casually from the insole of Ryoga's left foot, as it trailed behind in his cartwheel. Wanting to scoff at Ryoga's attack that left his whole body wide open, Ranma attempted to retaliate with left hook kick to catch Ryoga just as he was coming back up,  
  
Unfortunately, Ranma's foot seemed, to him, to pass through Ryoga, before he got caught by Ryoga's trip. The Vadier de Caos had instead of coming back to standing, fell completely onto his right shoulder during the cartwheel before falling totally onto his right, and then scissored his left leg back towards Ranma's planted ankle.  
  
The pigtailed boy rolled from losing his balance, and blinked in slight surprise, "Hmm, nice. Dunno how you interrupted my flow!"  
  
Ryoga had swung his right leg under his lifted left leg after his rasteria sweep, causing him to windmill. He windmilled onto his back, and then used the momentum to swing his legs into the air, planting his right hand onto the ground so that he was in a one-handed handstand, as his legs were in the side-splits that was angled diagonally with the left leg raised higher than the right, while his left arm guarded his face.  
  
Ranma realized when he was being taunted, and decided to up his tempo. Skipping his right leg forward, Ranma then brought his left shin against his right leg's calf, dropped onto his right knee and right hand, and then spun counter-clockwise towards Ryoga, while launching himself into the air.  
  
The lost boy smirked, as he watched the human centrifugal whirling dynamo of motion approach him from an angle before him, with a totally amused expression that Akane didn't miss.  
  
"RANMA! WATCH OUT!" She warned, not quite sure of what she was warning him about, but the confident expression on Ryoga's face; like he had the battle won way before they even started.  
  
From the whirling deverish, Ranma's left leg lashed out in a falling ax kick, aiming to split Ryoga diagonally in half.  
  
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Ranma thought, as once again, it seemed to just 'pass through' Ryoga. The Capoeristylas dropped from his hand stand, onto the back of his head and neck, while folding himself in half with his legs still in the splits.  
  
Ranma recovered, spinning from the momentum of his kick while on the ground, just in time to catch the balls of both of Ryoga's feet into his chin with artillary shell velocity.  
  
Ranma's impact with, and through the cement wall caused a slight quake in the immidiate area. "RANMA!" Akane cried out, shocked at the extremely telling hit that the pigtailed boy had recieved.  
  
Ryoga was now in a handstand with both hands, with his feet up and forward at an angle. With a light chuckle, he cartwheeled back to his feet, and folded his arms while leaning his torso back. "You feeling humbled yet, camara`?"  
  
"Eh... ouch."  
  
"I'll take dat as a 'yes'." Ryoga replied, before his grin got wider, and the turned to leave, but not before he tossed out one more statement. "Corpo de Fechado', you never triumph over me now, Ranma!" With that, he walked away.  
  
"'Corpo de Fechado'?" Akane repeated, wondering what sort of technique it was that allowed Ryoga to easily best Ranma.  
  
"Eh, cutie, you tell me where I put my stuff, i seemed to have misplaced it," Ryoga asked Akane over her shoulder in a sheepish tone.  
_________________  
  
"I don't understand!" Ranma whined, as he continued to lay on the mat in the Tendou home with a damp cloth over his forehead, "It was like he really wasn't even there!"  
  
"I think I know what you mean," Akane replied, off to the side against a wall. From what she saw, both of Ranma's attacks were right on beat. Ryoga may not have been floored right after they both should have connected, but he still should have been feeling it. "It was almost as if he knew what you were going to do before you could do it to him."  
  
"Heh, Ryoga's got rhythm, but he's not that good," Ranma replied, before the arrogance just drained from his voice, "But he was still good enough to easily throttle me like a bad trainwreck."  
  
"Oh, cheer up, Ranma. I mean that's only one loss!" Akane replied, while her sister Kasumi changed damp cloths on Ranma's forehead.  
  
"Damn it, Akane! But I can't lose!" Ranma retorted, vehemantly, "I'm the heir to the Rhythmer's Fist AND Anything Goes School of Martial Arts! It's just not acceptable for me to not just lose, but lose badly!"  
  
"Ryoga said something about a 'Corpo de Fechado', maybe if we find out what that is, it will give you a clue to how Ryoga got so strong!" Akane mused, causing Ranma to perk up.  
  
"Hey, sounds solid. I bet the old ghoul might know a thing or two about it."  
  
"I'm not so sure," Nabiki retorted, "It sounds Spanish to me..."  
  
"Portuegese, actually," Kasumi interjected.  
  
"And you would be correct, young one. And mind your manners boy!"  
  
Ranma continued to stare at the head of a knarled staff just a centimeter from between his eyes, before Cologne retracted it. "Corpo de Fechado, you say? Why, I hadn't heard of that technique in ages!"  
  
"So you know about it?" Akane asked, unable to hide the hope in her voice. "Ah, hey, Shampoo!"  
  
"Hey, 'Kane, hear Ranma get butt handed to him."  
  
Ranma winced, as Akane chuckled, "You heard right, it wasn't even a contest!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Oh, chill, Ranma, it isn't like you've completely failed in life."  
  
"YOU'VE COMPLETELY FAILED, BOY!" Genma announced from the doorway of the room, standing in indigant sorrow, with his fist clenched and crying tears of bitterness, "Oh! To think my own flesh and blood, bested in but a mere two hits!"  
  
"Shampoo hear it from him," the Amazon raver pointed out, "He wail too, too loud."  
  
"Pop, you are *so* gonna get yours," Ranma growled, before wincing.  
  
"Anyways," Cologne continued, drawing attention back to herself, "The 'Corpo de Fechado', the 'Closed Body' technique, was one so powerful, that the Portuegese King Dom Joao VI greatly feared it. It was said to make the invoker impervious to harm of certain weaponry. To be able to stand in the face of a slaver's gun without fear, agily avoiding bullets at point blank range, even at many times getting hit, but gaining no damage."  
  
"Wow, that technique doesn't sound half-bad," Ranma mused, "How did Ryoga come across it?"  
  
"No doubt one of the great hidden masters helped him to gain it," Cologne replied.  
  
"What do you mean, 'helped him gain it'?" Akane asked, curious as to the phrasing.  
  
"The technique not only involves rigerous training, but magical rituals as well. Someone would have to have conducted those in order for him to fully develop his own Closed Body."  
  
"Wait a minute, you said this 'Closed Body' thing is tailored only to specific weapons," Nabiki interjected, "How does it work on Ranma? He wasn't using any weapons... other than his hands and legs, I mean."  
  
"Very observative, child. The technique has been said not only to work on weapons, but perhaps... other specifics as well."  
  
Akane thought about that, finding one thought niggling in the back of her head. Ryoga definitely considered himself Ranma's greatest rival, though she aimed to claim that title for her own soon, and such a technique...  
  
"He's developed it to specifically work against Ranma..." Akane thought with sudden shock.  
  
Cologne blinked, before thinking about it, herself, "That sounds plausable, but I couldn't say for sure if it would work that way."  
  
"If he's developed it to work against me..." Ranma mused, before an idea struck him, "I GOT IT!"  
  
"Ranma never keep down long in defeat," Shampoo mused with a bit of awe.  
  
"I'll say," Akane added.  
_________________  
  
Ryoga slowly, very slowly practiced his movements on the sandy beach of Brazil. The warm sea air, with the bustling city of Rio de Janeiro behind him only added to the euphoria he was feeling; he defeated Ranma, without a doubt, hands down.  
  
"Ranma," Ryoga whispered to himself in his usual easy voice, "Now, it is you who'll be looking up to me for now on... second best! Oh, how I yearn to hear you call my name in acknowledgement to my superiority over you..."  
  
"HEY, BACON-BRAINS"  
  
Ryoga paused in the midst of starting an au, supported only by his left arm, while his elbow was against his kidney, as his right reached over to prepare to meet the ground, "Ranma, what are you doing in Rio de Janeiro?"  
  
The pigtailed boy blinked," We're in Nerima park, moron."  
  
"Ag, no wonder the sea didn't smell right," Ryoga mused, remaining in his strenuous position  
  
Ranma dropped down from the tree he had been in, standing before the upside down Vadier de Caos, "It's time for round two, kid. And don't think I'm gonna fall again!"  
  
"Feh, whateva," Ryoga replied, continuing his cartwheel, and then into his Capoeira exercises.  
  
"Heh, so you dismiss me too quickly," Ranma replied in an almost sinister tone, "But now that I know about your 'Closed Body', I know how to now counter it!"  
  
"Oh?" Ryoga replied, amused, while he folded his arms across his chest, and crossed his legs into lotus position... while standing on his head.  
  
"Watch!" With that, Ranma backwards sommersaulted into the lake.  
  
"Uh, what de heck you do that for?" Ryoga enquired, as Ranma came trudging from the waters.  
  
"I have a sneaking suspicion that your Closed body wasn't developed against my Girl-form," Ranma remarked almost triumphantly, before she began imagining the rhythm for 'Transform' by S. Tomioka, and falling into beat.  
  
Ryoga unfolded his arms, and used his right hand to lift himself off the ground, before falling back to his feet. "Hmm, now dat you mention it, no I didn't," Ryoga replied in a somewhat concerned tone.  
  
Ranma smiled; she was still the best, after all...  
_________________  
  
"You can't go on like this, Ranma," Akane replied, carrying the unconcious pigtailed girl in her arms, as she entered her home. "We're back, same results as before."  
  
"Oh my, I hope he's alright," Kasumi exclaimed upon finding her sister standing in the hall with their potential fiance.  
  
"Just battered into submission," Akane stated, as she walked into the family room, and laid Ranma on the mat that she had laid him on the day before. "Can you watch over him, Kasumi? There's someone I need to go talk to."  
  
"Sure, Akane-chan, don't be late for dinner!"  
  
Akane nodded, and once again left the Tendou household. Before too long, she was standing outside the dance studio which doubled as the home of her own master of the Rhythmer's Fist...  
_________________  
  
"It's not that funny," Akane replied with a resigned voice. She knew of the slight animosity that Petra had agaist her fiance, but still...  
  
"Oh YES it is!" Petra stated through her guffaws, "The rapaz had it com'n!"  
  
"Well, may be it did," Akane replied, lightening up about it a bit, "But still, it can't go on like this."  
  
"Why not? It provide months of entertainment!" Petra replied in an innocent tone, before she fell back onto the floor in hysterics.  
  
"Come on, just help me out here. I was thinking that you may have an idea on how Ranma could overcome this."  
  
Petra sat up, still seated on the ground, and folded her knees to her chest, "Sorry, moca, no idea."  
  
"Oh," Akane stated in a defeated tone.  
  
"Honestly, I don't even know how it would be possible to initiate it against a particular person... unless they practiced the technique against opponents wearing Ranma masks... HaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!"  
  
Akane sighed, "You're not being any help."  
  
"Sorry, but none can I give you, I'm afraid. You up for some train'n today, estudiante?"  
  
"Na, I think I'm going to go home and think about this for a while," Akane replied, a bit downtroden, and a bit disappointed in her intructor's lack of maturity.  
  
"Moca... I'll let you know if I come up with anything, si?"  
  
Akane turned to Petra with a faint smile, "Si. I'll catch you later, then." With that, Akane left the small apartment above the studio.  
  
The blue-haired woman quickly stood up, the mirth from her face leaving quickly. Akane was right that it wasn't as funny as she was acting. Petra also may not have known how to get the closed body to work against a single person... but she knew how it could be made to work against Ranma, as well as others...  
_________________  
  
Throughout the week, Akane watched Ranma train with a vicious zealous that she had never seen in him before. He was becoming obsessed with beating Ryoga, and his attitude was suffering for it. She knew the pigtailed boy had sent the challenge several days ago; Ranma intended to prove, once and for all, which one of them was the better.  
  
"Ranma..." Akane barely whispered, before another voice interrupted the both of them.  
  
"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW?!?"  
  
Ranma turned to meet his rival, "Ryoga, you're early."  
  
The fanged boy quickly turned to Ranma, surprised to see him, but nothing much else, "Early for what?"  
  
"Our challenge, you moron," Ranma growled, "I didn't expect you to be arriving for three days!"  
  
Ryoga's eyes narrowed, "Challenge? What challenge?"  
  
Ranma slapped his forehead in dismay, "The one I mailed to your house four days ago, dufus!"  
  
"Oh, and when have I been home to receive it, camara?" Ryoga asked in an arched tone, "You know how I... how much travel'n I do."  
  
Ranma's stern expression cracked, "Ah... I guess I didn't think about that."  
  
Ryoga sighed, before turning around to head on his way, "Anyway, jus' admit it, Ranma. You never beat me again."  
  
"How about we prove that in the dojo, right this instant?" Ranma challenged, not willing to take Ryoga's attitude towards him. Akane sincerely began to notice how much of his 'groove' Ranma had lost just by his speech patterns.  
  
Ryoga shrugged, "Lead the way, and les' make this quick, si?"  
  
Before long, the two rivals were standing across one another, as the rest of the household, including Cologne and Shampoo, looked on.  
  
The pigtailed boy found the smirk Ryoga was wearing almost infuriating, and before anyone could even call the match, he launched into attack.  
  
Ryoga didn't even bother to go into his ginga dance, as he patiently waited Ranma to approach. Right as his opponent was upon him, Ranma suddenly broke right in front of the lost boy tossed his head back, and jacknifed into a kick.  
  
Unimpressed, Ryoga dropped away into a negativa onto his right side, tilted so he was braced now on the right side of his head and right hand, and launched out with both of his feet.  
  
Feeling the rhythm, Ranma twisted while upside down, and reversed his jacknife kick into a downwards toe strike while upside down.  
  
Almost with casual defiance, Ryoga kicked his legs from his double thrust kick, straight into the air to evade Ranmas second attack. Ryoga was spinning on one hand in a hand stand, as Ranma landed, and spun into a sweep. Before it could even connect, Ryoga pulled braced hand up, causing Ranma's foot to pass right under him, and dropped into a head spin. As Ranma was recovering from his missed foot sweep, Ryoga dropped onto his left shoulder, then the left side of his back, bringing his right leg around, almost connecting the heel with Ranma's jaw. just barely, the pigtailed boy leaned back, and pushed himself up into a backbend, before flipping back onto his feet. As he did so, Ryoga's right leg slid onto the ground, while he twisted his body with the momentum to bring his left leg up. he finally came back to his feet by pushing off the ground with his hands.  
  
"They're too evenly matched," Akane stated, realizing neither would ever score a clean hit against the other at this rate.  
  
"I'm afraid you are in error," Cologne stated, gaining he audience's attention, "Ranma is only able to avoid Ryoga by his own speed, while Ryoga is avoiding Ranma's attacks as if it were the most natural thing in the world to him."  
  
"Which means..." Kasumi started.  
  
"Ranma will probably wear out sooner than Ryoga!" Nabiki continued.  
  
"Since Ranma is having to exert more to avoid Ryoga's attacks!" Akane finished.  
  
"Not bad, not bad, Ranma, but ye gonna not last too long with all that," Ryoga taunted, as he kept his arms folded.  
  
Ranma gave only the faintest of smirks, before he stopped dancing, and went into a Wing Chun stance with his right side forward and arm slightly extended, while his left forearm was braced against his side. Ryoga blinked, curious as to what Ranma was up to.  
  
"What he doing?" Shampoo enquired, "Rhythm suddenly feel..."  
  
"...Simplified..." Akane stated with a bit of surprise.  
  
Ranma lashed out with a front snap kick, before following up with a straight right. Ryoga weaved by the snap kick, and bent into a backbend away from the punch. As he did so, a slight frown formed on his face.  
  
Pushing it, Ranma suddenly slid his left side forward, sinking into a forward horse stance, and initiated a downwards side chop to Ryoga's stomach with his left forearm. Ryoga suddenly twisted in his backbend to his right, now arched forward instead of backwards, with his hands braced against the ground, and his feet planted while he was facing down. From his seemingly vunerable position, Ryoga suddenly lashed out with his right leg towards Ranma's waist. Ranma spun away from the Tail of the Mantis kick, and when Ryoga realised he missed, he used the momentum to pull himself spinning into a handstand. Just as he recovered to face Ranma upside down, he recieved a Muay Thai style kick to his side, sending him upside down and sideways into a wall.  
  
"He's... he's using pure anything goes..." Akane breathed, shocked that Ranma was able to score an extremely telling hit. That's when it hit her, "Ryoga's trained his Closed Body against the Rhythmer's Fist!"  
  
"That's my boy!" Genma stated with pride, "He knew better than to abandon the principles!"  
  
"Lucky shot, camara," Ryoga stated, slightly wincing from his bruised side, "But that won't protect you for long!"  
  
"Maybe," Ranma stated with a bit more confidence than he had shown in a while, "but it made you drop that five hundred yen coin by the wall."  
  
"Where?" Ryoga, Genma, and Nabiki quickly enquired, staring towards the wall. Ryoga suddenly found himself staring out the other side of the dojo wall with a newly developed headache.  
  
"I don't see any five hundred yen coin," Nabiki grumbled, disappointed.  
  
Genma was laughing, as Soun, Akane, Shampoo, and Cologne stared incredulously.  
  
"I don't believe he fell for that..." Akane groaned, grabbing her forehead.  
  
"THAT BE A CHEAP TRICK, RANMA!" Ryoga growled, pulling his head from the hole in the wall.  
  
Ranma leaned back in his stance of non-stance, keeping his smirk and his arms folded, "So, whatcha gonna do about it?"  
  
"I tell you what I do about it, camara, I RIP YOUR HEAD OFF!" Right that, Ryoga hopped once, before twisting into a backflip with a slight more twist than usual. He kept both of his legs together, as he attempted to drop them sideways onto his nemesis.  
  
Ranma deftly scooted back from the dupo-armada kick and then spun away from Ryoga's Meia luna del compasso crescent kick. The lost boy tracked him, pracing his left hand onto the ground, kicking up into a handstand, aiming his right foot towards the top of Ranma's head.  
  
With a yelp, Ranma barely avoided the variant of the Tail of the Mantis. darting back and then to the side. He was then forced to backwards somersault away, as Ryoga dropped into a gymnists' flare, intending to trip Ranma up with both his swinging legs.  
  
"What just happened? Ranma had Ryoga on the ropes!" Nabiki asked, confused with the sudden change of battle. Akane and Shampoo could only shrug, as Cologne, Genma, and Soun watched intently.  
  
Ryoga spun from his gymnastic`s into a headspin, splaying his legs out into the side splits. Ranma apparently didn't have time to properly defend against the attack, as he barely got his guard up, and tripped backwards.  
  
From his headspin, Ryoga then braced his right hand onto the ground, launching himself back to his feet. As he landed, he only did so on his left foot, while holding his right leg up in the front splits against his chest, aiming for a vicious ax kick onto his floored opponent. Even through the flared pants, Ranma could see Ryoga's muscles tensing to drop the ax, and convey the Vadier de Caos's anger.  
  
"Last words, camara?" Ryoga almost seethed, barely refraining from just burying his heel into Ranma's head right then and there.  
  
Ranma suddenly fell forward, placing his forehead against the floor, and his hands in front of him, "Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!"  
  
Ranma's sudden please and kow-towing brought Ryoga's anger up short, "Huh?"  
  
At that merest moment's distraction, Ranma suddenly rolled forward onto the back of his shoulders, before launching upwards with both feet. At the sudden movement, Ryoga unleashed his leg towards his opponent.  
  
Almost seeming in slow motion, Ranma just barely twisted sideways from the ax kick, as his own legs continued towards Ryoga's jaw. Pure, clean, connection occured, as Ryoga was launched heavily into the air, and through he dojo roof. Ranma spun on one hand with his legs straight up from the kick in a 1990, as Ryoga came crashing back into the training hall, forming another hole.  
  
As the capoeriastylas lay still, Ranma kicked himself back into standing, "I did it, I broke Ryoga's Closed Body technique!"  
_________________  
  
Petra stared, as Akane left, her step much more vibrant than it had been for almost a week. The young master of the Rhythmer's Fist felt a slight disappointment at the news the girl brought her, that Marcelo's student had managed to defeat the Closed Body specifically developed against the Rhythmer's Fist.  
  
She sighed, before shrugging it off. She knew full well that neither the boy or his master were invincible. And soon, she would finally prove it. 


	12. Trouble and Bass Ep 3: 'Kasumi's Rival'

Rhythmer's Fist: Trouble and Bass  
  
'Kasumi's Rival'  
  
Kasumi, it was always Kasumi...  
  
Kasumi...  
  
Kasumi...  
  
Kasumi...  
  
Kasumi Tendou, the darling of everyone, the most popular of girls at school. The one all the guys wanted. The sweet one, the polite one, the one that the teachers never had any problems with. The one who got all As in class, the one that all the girls from the lower grades wanted to be like. Little miss perfect in every fashion. It was always about her, no one else could measure up, she was untouchable, it wasn't even worth the effort to consider so.  
  
Nikki Akamatsu refused to believe that. Ever since she had first met Kasumi, back when they both went to Furinkan High, the blonde girl dreamed of the moment she would finally prove that Kasumi wasn't the pristine goddess everyone made her out to be. The girl must have a flaw, something that she could be challenged at, something that Nikki could proclaim victory in, and humble the obnoxious, oh-so-haughtily perfect Kasumi Tendou.  
  
After much deligation, The blonde Austrailian born girl found it. With a large, gleaming smile, she made her challenge to Kasumi, and a week from when she issued it, she and her proclaimed rival would meet.  
  
The night they would meet was the final day of school before exams...  
  
Kasumi never showed up...  
  
________________  
  
"I'd love to go out with you again tonight, Ranma-kun, Akanechan," Kasumi replied, smiling at the two serenely, while preparing dinner.  
  
"Great!" Akane replied, leaning back against the counter, "So that makes us, Nabiki, Kasumi, Shampoo, Yuka, and Ryoga going."  
  
Ranma gave Akane a side glance, "And how, prey tell, do you intend to make sure pigboy gets there at a decent time?"  
  
"Why do you keep calling him 'pigboy'?" Akane asked, even though she already knew the answer after an incident when she brought her pet pig to Petra's studio...  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"Coffee not strong enough," The metallic aqua-haired woman decided, as she looked from the naked, beat red blushing boy to the half-empty coffee pot that was still dangling tipped from her hand, "Like my men beefier..."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'll make sure he gets there, Ranma," Akane finally replied, after recalling all the racy comments she and Petra made, every time Ryoga ran by them, attempting to find an exit.  
  
"Now there's a feat I would like to believe..." Ranma said just loud enough for both girls occupying the kitchen to hear.  
  
________________  
  
"Akane? Aaaaakannneee!" Ryoga whimpered, swinging lightly from the ceiling of the dojo, upside down, "I really promise to stay put! No need for the bondage! Akane?"  
  
________________  
  
"Awwww, aren't you soooo cute when you're worrying about your favorite playmate!" Akane cooed, pinching the pigtailed boy's cheeks, "Don't wory, alright? I got it hanging good and tight."  
  
Ranma gave Akane a withering glance, as she snickered to herself.  
  
________________  
  
Kasumi didn't feel much like dancing just yet, and decided to watch the Nerima crew demonstrate and stylize the Saturday night crowd at Ucchan's; setting the mood and groove along with Mu Tzu's liquid flowing flavor of House beats. She sat with her legs crossed in a stool supplied on the VIP floor against the chain fence supported by plexiglass.  
  
She was content, recalling her high school days, when she used to do things like this, before responsibility demanded her attention. She carefully scratched her leg through her sky-blue slacks, cautiously ensuring that she didn't snag the white pantyhose underneath, and adjusted the suspenders that fit over her pearl-white vest and sky-blue blouse underneath that. She would have to compliment Nabiki on the coordination of her, Akane, and Nabiki's own ensemble to match with different colors; While Nabiki wore a black vest with hunter green blouse and slacks, Akane wore a deep brown vest with a burgundy set.  
  
Kasumi remained so rapt in the thought of how cute the outfits looked on them, that she didn't notice the newcomer that had descended the spiral staircase, and head straight for her.  
  
Ranma, Shampoo, and Akane took that moment to take a rest on the other side of the center floor, but noticed the blonde woman in a totally sudbued white blouse, leggings, and short cape that came only down the the small of her back, as the edges attached to the sides of her waist. Her hair was cut close on the right side, while a half-bowl of blonde lockes that came down to bottom ear level covered the left side of her head. Only a quif of hair on the right side springing from the center part remained lengthy on the right side.  
  
"Who's that?" Ranma asked, earning a shrug from Shampoo and Akane.  
  
"Didn't invite her," both girls replied in unison, before giving each other a look, and giggling.  
  
"Hmm, the way she's approaching Kasumi, she seems to know your sister from somewhere. Guess Kasumi brought her."  
  
Akane shrugged again, before leaning to the side, just as Shampoo knelt, and Ranma raised his arm just an inch against the chain fence. The dagger thrown by Mu Tzu passed by Akane's neck, over Shampoo's head, imbedding itself into the plexiglass beyond the fence. Ranma relaxed his arm, allowing it to rest on the throwing weapon. All three turned to observe Kasumi blinking in shock.  
  
Kasumi looked up to find a slender, yet statuesque woman around the same age as her, standing above her, "Um, hello?"  
  
"Kasumi... Kasumi Tendou..." the woman stated, as if a demand.  
  
Kasumi tilted her head, and smiled, "Oh my, I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage..."  
  
The woman's almost haughty glare turned into an irritated one, "Ever since the night you didn't show for our duel, that annoying, oblivious, can't-do-nothing-wrong smirk that was always plastered on your face haunted my nightmares!"  
  
Kasumi blinked, "Um, am I smirking? I apologise."  
  
"ENOUGH! Don't think you can pull that 'I'm too sweet for sugar' act with me! I know the *REAL* you!"  
  
Kasumi finished blinking in shock, "Do... do I know you?"  
  
"Two years ago," the woman started, "We were to meet for a final duel, do you remember, coward?"  
  
Kasumi blinked twice, before her eyes went wide, "N-N-Nikki?"  
  
The woman nodded solumnly, as Kasumi pointed a shakey finger at her. "I had heard you returned to the club scene. And such, my chance for vengence has come again!" The woman struck a pose reminiscent of a Spanish Flamingo stance. Her sinewy body expressed curves of elegance and poise, as she prepared to do battle with her long absent rival.  
  
"Excuse me... miss..."  
  
Nikki shot a glare at the long-haired effimate boy wearing a chrome reflective shirt with matching pants, "Beat it, you're ruining my dramatic moment."  
  
"Miss, this is the VIP floor," Konatsu went onto explain, undaunted, "You cannot be here without permission... or at least being someone important."  
  
"What?!?" Nikki screeched, dropping from her pose, "See? Now you've ruined the moment!"  
  
Konatsu shrugged, "Please, leave."  
  
"Hold on, hold on, I have something... right... here! AHA!" The woman got through reaching down the front of her rather flat blouse, and pulled out a business card, handing it to the young man.  
  
"Nikki Synthia Akamatsu, World renouned dancer extraordinare..." Konatsu read aloud.  
  
"Here are my credentials," Nikki replied with a hooded stare, as she held up a long printout sheet of various performances she had done.  
  
Konatsu's eyes grew wide, as he read the business card again, "Wait a minute... *THE* Nikki Synthia Akamatsu? You're *HER*?!?"  
  
Nikki nodded, beeming at one who happened to be a fan of her performances.  
  
"Never heard of you," Konatsu replied, handing back the business card. "Please, get out, before I have to remove you."  
  
"WHAT! HOW DARE YOU-"  
  
"Konatsu... let her stay."  
  
Everyone looked up, to find Ukyo sitting almost demurely on the fence that surrounded the VIP floor, looking down upon the patrons with her usual stoic expression, as she tapped her large folded fan against her side. Even over the music, her soft voice demanded presence.  
  
Konatsu nodded, before giving Nikki one last glance. The blonde woman stuck her tongue out at the ninja in victory and mocking.  
  
"After all, for someone to be so self-important, I would expect this would be the only place in the club that would be spacious enough for her ego..." With that, Ukyo unfolded her fan, and waved it in front of her. The fan closed up, revealing Ukyo to be missing, before it faded from sight.  
  
"I taught her that," Konatsu beemed with pride, before crouching down, and then seeming to leap into thin air, vanishing himself.  
  
Nikki stewed, before turning back to a thoroughly shaken Kasumi, "Enough of this! For my honor, I challenge you, Kasumi Tendou!!!"  
  
"I ac-" For the briefest of moments, a flicker of an expression, something, not quite identifiable to even her sisters, passed over Kasumi's face, before she quickly turned away, "I... can't!"  
  
As soon as the words left her mouth, Kasumi rushed up the spiral staircase, and away. Everyone remaining stared at her sudden departure, with the usual Nerima crew staring in confusion.  
  
________________  
  
The next morning, Ranma and Akane found Kasumi in the kitchen, humming a merry tune, and preparing breakfast, "Good morning Akanechan, Ranma-kun. Breakfast will be ready shortly!"  
  
"Ah... that's great, sis," Akane replied with heavy concern in her voice, "What happened to you, last night? We went looking for you, and couldn't find you!"  
  
"Oh, I was home," Kasumi replied happily, "How silly of you to have missed me!"  
  
"We checked the house," Ranma answered.  
  
"Hmm," Kasumi mused, "Perhaps then I was in the dojo when you were checking the house. There was much to clean in there..."  
  
"We checked the dojo, too," Akane replied, wondering why her sister would be cleaning at two AM.  
  
"Maybe I was in the attic when you checked the dojo," Kasumi replied, logically, "It was awfully dusty in the attic."  
  
"Checked the attic too," Ranma stated.  
  
"Then I was in the bathroom, the furo needed to be cleaned."  
  
"checked the furo," Akane replied.  
  
"Maybe she was in the basement," Ranma suggested, helpfully.  
  
"Oh my, that's right!" Kasumi exclaimed, "There were a lot of cobwebs in the basement I had been meaning to take care of..."  
  
"We don't have a basement," Ranma, Akane, and a newly entered Nabiki replied in unision.  
  
"Alright, sis, fess up?" Nabiki demanded, coming to stand between Akane and their mutual fiance.  
  
Kasumi sighed, and bowed her head, "I guess I can't hide it forever..."  
  
Kasumi motioned everyone into the tea room, and had them sit down. After they were seated, Kasumi smiled, "Would anyone like some tea?"  
  
After everyone nodded, Kasumi went into the kitchen to prepare some tea. After a few moments, their fathers came down, and Kasumi set out breakfast. After they ate breakfast, Kasumi collected the plates, and returned to the kitchen. Soun finished reading his paper, and left to start a game of shogi with Genma. About an hour later...  
  
"Ah... Kasumi, what are you doing in there?" Nabiki asked, watching the TV.  
  
"I'm mixing a special blend of tea, it will only take a few more moments!" Kasumi replied.  
  
"What's wrong with the blends we have?" Akane shouted, incredulously.  
  
"it's a very good blend," Kasumi replied, "Oh my, we seem to be out of cinnimin. I'm afraid I must go to India, and-"  
  
"Get in here," Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki commanded.  
  
Cowled, the eldest Tendou sister walked back into the tearoom, and sat down. "Okay, now explain what was going on with that blonde chick last night?" Ranma started.  
  
Kasumi took a deep breath, "Well, when I was in my final months of high school, there was this girl, Nikki Akamatsu. She was popular, and pretty, and..." Kasumi sagged, "She hated my guts for some reason."  
  
All three audience members gasped in utter shock; someone... hating *Kasumi*?  
  
"She seemed so upset about me, and always challenged me to various things."  
  
"One day, I found out that your sister was the little darling of the club scene, and discovered my chance..."  
  
"GAAAHHHH!!!!" Ranma jumped, finding the blonde woman from last night sitting between him and Nabiki.  
  
"Uh... h-hello," Nabiki greeted, barely able to maintain her composure.  
  
"Nikki..." Kasumi baulked, "H-how did you find out where I live?"  
  
"You used to invite me over for slumber parties, remember?" Nikki replied, factually, "Anyhow, Kasumi was notorious in the club scene, the 'Sensual Swallow', she was called."  
  
"It was better than being called 'Mist', Kasumi replied, covering her face.  
  
"Did everyone have a club life before me?" Akane asked, a bit irritated. Nabiki raised her hand, before she recalled something, and quickly dropped it. Akane glared at the middle sister, as she nervously glared back.  
  
"Anyways, I challenged your sister to a dance-off..." Nikki pulled out a microphone, and pointed accusingly at Kasumi "REPENT! WHY DID YOU NOT SHOW THAT FATEFUL NIGHT, KASUMI?"  
  
"I.... I couldn't..." Kasumi replied in a defeated tone.  
  
Nikki smirked in satisfaction, "So, it was because you are a coward! A false goddess who's light poisons all that is truly good!"  
  
"That's not it at all!" Kasumi replied, adimantly! "It... it was just that..."  
  
"Yes, yessss?" All four asked, anxiously awaiting Kasumi's answer.  
  
"It was sukiyaki night," Kasumi replied, shamefaced. She looked down at the tea table, "Oh my, we're going to have to get this replaced."  
  
Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, and Nikki all picked their faces up off of the broken table they had just caused. "WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!" Ranma demanded, rubbing his face.  
  
"The night Nikki challenged me... I... I was so pumped, that I went out to practice, to prepare for our duel."  
  
"'Pumped'?" Her two siblings parroted, suprised at Kasumi's terminology.  
  
"That's the old Kasumi I used to know," Nikki replied.  
  
"Unfortunately, I forgot that I needed to cook dinner. Sukiyaki night was always Father's favorite dinner night. He was so dissappointed." Kasumi hung her head in shame. "So, the night of our battle... I... chose to prepare dinner, a large meal for father to make up for missing it the previous week. Because of that, I wasn't able to prepare for our match... and I chose to forfeit."  
  
"You can't just simply deny a challenge!" Ranma proclaimed, "Even if not a fully-fledge practioner, all members of the Anything-Goes school must accept all challenges!"  
  
"He's right," Akane pointed out.  
  
"Daddy would have a heart attack if he found out about this," Nabiki added.  
  
"I did not accept your forfeit!" Nikki proclaimed, "In five days, we will settle this at Ucchan's! If you're not there, I'll drag you there myself!"  
  
"I...." Nabiki, Ranma, and Akane saw it again, the expression that had eluded them that night.  
  
"What... what is this almost overwhelming power of confidence?" Ranma whispered, in awe.  
  
"Ka-Kasumi..." Akane breathed, while Nabiki remained dumbfounded.  
  
Kasumi stood up, the change in her bearing heavily apparent. Gone was the serene smile of the homemaking goddes, now replaced with the cool, determined expression of a war goddess. "I accept, Nikki Akamatsu, five days!"  
  
Nikki chuckled, "Yes Kasumi Tendou, we shall settle this soon!" With that, the statuesque woman saw her own way out.  
  
Kasumi sniffed in confidense, and shifted her eyes to where she had last seen Nikki depart, "She has awakened my fighting spirit."  
  
"Um... Kasumi..." Nabiki attempted to interject during her sister's posturing. Kasumi blinked, and gave her a serene smile.  
  
"Why, yes, Nabikichan?"  
  
"That's Friday night..." Nabiki continued...  
  
Akane's eyes went wide, "That's right! That's..."  
  
Ranma's face paled... "Sukiyaki night..."  
  
Kasumi baulked, realizing her grave mistake. 


	13. Trouble and Bass Ep 4: 'Kasumi's Rival'

'Rhythmer's Fist'  
  
"You're just going to give up, just like that?" Ranma enquired, leaning against the counter of the kitchen while watching Kasumi clean up after dinner.  
  
"I don't have a choice, Ranma," Kasumi said, sadly, as she dried her hands, "I made a vow that I wouldn't let father down like I did before. Please understand."  
  
"Na, don't think I can," Ranma retorted, adjusting his position a bit to get comfortable, "As a student to the Anything Goes School of Martial arts, I hold the belief that you gotta answer every challenge. And as a student of the Rhythmer's Fist school of Martial Arts, I hold the belief you gotta go out and prove your style."  
  
Kasumi began to wring her hands nervously, "Oh Ranma, I want to... I really do! I haven't felt so... soooo..."  
  
"I know what you mean, heh," Ranma chuckled, "I don't think there wasn't a kid around that didn't see you light up at that challenge. Kinda like a bonfire found its flame. You were alive, you get?"  
  
"Yes, Ranma, I understand," Kasumi replied, though still with a saddened expression, "But I've come to accept my responsibilities, and I can't regret the choice I've made."  
  
"Sounds like you already are," the pigtailed martial artist commented in a serious tone, before he brought back his flippant smile, "Kasumi, girlfriend, what about the responsibilities to yourself? I mean, you stay cooped up in the crib unless I drag you out to have a good time, or you go somewhere with your Pops. What if we don't end up compatable, you know?" Ranma held up a hand to forestall any comments Kasumi would make, "I know, I know, you're thinking you would fight tooth and nail to secure a catch like me, even against your sisters..."  
  
Kasumi frowned, as that wasn't quite what she was about to say.  
  
"...and you'd do anything to make it work between us..."  
  
The eldest Tendou daughter rolled her eyes, but chose not to interrupt.  
  
"...but what if we don't hook up? You don't even date, though I can hook you up if you give the word. I hear Mu Tsu's available, according to Shampoo. And Ryoga's closest you'll find to a replacement for me... kinda depressing to think about, huh?"  
  
"This is all sweet, but I think-"  
  
"Don't sweat it, Kasumi. You take your time choosing between them, but if you do choose, you gonna have to go out with them every once in a while."  
  
"That wasn't what I was about to say, Ranma."  
  
"Come on, Kasumi, at least talk to your old man," Ranma changed the subject, oblivious to Kasumi's chagrin, "I'm pretty sure if anything, he'll understand a duel of honor. Besides, letting this thing go could make what's-her-face..."  
  
"Nikki Synthia Akamatsu?"  
  
"Yeah, that's her," Ranma confirmed, "Nikki Sifiha Akamatsu or whatever could go seriously agro over this. You don't know what it's like to get stood up for a challenge, it ain't all  
  
"Well," Kasumi began, wringing her ponytail with her hands over her shoulder, "I suppose talking to him wouldn't hurt..."  
  
"See? No need to be sketchy over this," Ranma finished, shrugging cheerfully, "Now, we got four days until your big game, so we better get started to getting you back to hardcore status."  
  
"What?" Kasumi asked simply, staring at him with a blank, confused expression. Ranma's smile cracked slightly; he had a lot to cram into four days...  
  
_________________________  
  
Kasumi stood in the middle of the dojo, nervously watching Ranma set up the portable stereo. With his usual care-free smirk, Ranma held up several CDs for display, "Choose your groove; Drum and Bass, Funky Breaks, Trance, Happy Hardcore, Speed Garage, House, Euro-"  
  
"Ranma, here."  
  
"Hey, 'Kane, sup?" Ranma greeted, turning to Kasumi's youngest sister.  
  
"You got to know Kasumi like I do. She can dance to all of that, but if you really want her to go off..." Akane trailed off, holding the CD before Ranma.  
  
"Heh, one of the prime teachings of the fist, you want someone going all out, you need to beatmatch!" Ranma took the CD, and turned to load it into the player.  
  
"Don't worry, Kasumi, this is more to your pace, I'm sure." Akane gave Kasumi the same, confident smirk Ranma tended to wear, causing the eldest Tendou daughter to wonder if Ranma's arrogance was rubbing off on her little sister.  
  
Her reverie was disrupted by a sudden drop in bass boom, followed by a beat steady rhythm in a sooth pace; quite a comfortable beats-per-minute as contast to the high speed Ranma usually subjected them to when they went clubbing. Bass guitar kicked in, enhanced by the background melody that made itself known. A chill feeling groove that permated and uplifted like being submerged in a soft rippling ocean.  
  
"Oh my," Kasumi exclaimed, already in love with the song, "What's this?"  
  
"Roc Project with Tina Arena," Akane replied, leaning against the wall with her arms folded, "Song's 'Never'."  
  
"Aight, it's aight," Ranma commented, though it wasn't quite up to his speed.  
  
Riding the sensations the tune radiated through her, the slow sensual sway of the hips came unconciously. Almost instinctively, she crossed her arms over her torso, squeezing her cleavage together, as her arms intersected over her stomach while her hands rested on her waist. Her head swayed with the rest of her body, as she took a deep breath that she could almost believe allowed her to inhale the scent of the rhythm; feeling it wash down her body, filling her lungs, before invading he rest of her being.  
  
She had to inhale, feeling intoxicated by the song now, completely at it beck and call. This... this was something she truly missed. It was something she gave up too easily, and now that she's touched it again, it would be painful to let go of.  
  
"Ah... woah," Ranma replied, after managing to swallow a gulp, and following Kasumi's left hand as it trailed delectably down her right arm as it reached to the sky, all the while still moving almost etherally with the rhythm.  
  
Akane mutely nodded in agreement. She had seen her sister dance before, and Kasumi had already proven herself more than compotent. But at the moment, her older sister was showing a sudden dramatic improvement. If Akane didn't know better, she would swear Kasumi was invoking the Rhythmer's Fist. Of course, she knew better, because as sensual, as methodical, as graceful, and as beautiful as Kasumi seemed, she was missing something.  
  
"No drive," Ranma mumbled. Akane looked over at him, to see him studying Kasumi intensely, just as he would an opponent, and looking for flaws in the technique. Looking closer, Akane saw what he was referring to.  
  
Kasumi was dancing, all for herself. The outside world didn't exist beyond the beats that held her captive. Because of that, her focus wasn't sharp, and her movements were almost listless, like a thread in a breeze.  
  
Before any of them realized it, the song was over. Kasumi felt still on high in a way she so sorely missed, allowing it to gradually flow down her, out through her feet, and over the dojo floor to dissipate into the atmousphere.  
  
"Oh.... my," was the first thing Kasumi could say. For a few minutes, she was back in highschool; rebellious, confident, carefree. Before obligations, responsibilities, and guilt forced her to put herself aside, and embrace a different personage. Kasumi smiled, it was good to be back.  
  
With a coy smirk, she glanced sideways at Ranma and her sister," Ranma-kun, mind playing that once more for me?"  
  
"In a bit, Kas', something we gotta talk about, first," Ranma replied, as serious as his personality would let him.  
  
"Oh?" some of Kasumi's confidence faded, before she realized that she couldn't quite be at a hundred percent just yet. But that was okay, with four days and both Ranma and Akane at her side, she wouldn't be long before being unstoppable.  
  
"Kasumi, remember you're in a competition, here. As good as you are, you have to be better... namely better than *her*" Ranma proclaimed, pointing to the drawdown diagram of an obnoxious blonde woman, as Akane tapped the picture once with a pointer.  
  
"I know that, Ranma-kun," Kasumi replied, drolly, "Please get to the point so I can get back to dancing."  
  
"Well, she's got the moxy down," Akane commented, wryly.  
  
Ranma chose to ignore both comments, "You think you're ready to take on some world renouned dancer?"  
  
"I hadn't heard of her until the other evening."  
  
Ranma shrugged at Akane's statment, "Me neither, but she sounds pretty confident in herself."  
  
"Ranma, thank you for your concern, but I think I'll do just fine," Kasumi said sweetly, "Music, please?"  
  
Ranma was pretty sure his warning went clear over her head, or she avidly ignored it. With a snort, Ranma nodded his head, "Fine, you think you're ready? Then I get first shot at you."  
  
Kasumi paused, as Akane's eybrows climbed to her hairline. "Ranma?" Kasumi asked, a bit puzzled by the challenge.  
  
"This is the Anything Goes and Rhythmer's Fist school reps on the line. If you win, you're definently ready. If you lose, you're staying home Friday night and cooking a succulent meal of sauteed and thinly sliced meat."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
At the elder girl's trepidation, Ranma shook his head sadly, "See? And that's why you'll lose. You not competitive enough."  
  
Kasumi frowned, remembering that even in her schooldays, she wasn't the one for conflict. Nikki's challenge was the first she had ever truly viewed as a match of honor, and that was met with naught, "I think I see what you mean."  
  
"Hey, it's alright, tho', because I have just the training regimen for it!" Ranma replied, giving Kasumi a toothy smile.  
  
It was Akane that voiced the sceptisism, "And just what, pray tell, is this miracle training exercise?" The youngest Tendou daughter swore to herself if Ranma had any confidence self-help seminar tapes...  
  
"Relax, in fact, it's something my Pop's came up with, worked perfectly for me!"  
  
Kasumi relaxed at Ranma's smile. She couldn't argue against the fact that Ranma was definitely in the elite hardcore. Whatever training that she was about to undergo would be rigerious, but well worth the results to come...  
  
_________________________  
  
"Father?"  
  
Soun looked up from where he was watching television in the tea room, "Oh, yes, Kasumi dear?"  
  
The eldest of Soun's daughters fidgeted a bit, while wringing her hands. Why, oh why did this seem so difficult? All she had to do was tell her father of her plans, and he would obviously understand! It wasn't as if it were to be the end of the world if he missed his single, favorite, meal of the week. Why, she was sure many restaurants around easily served sukiyaki that rivaled hers!  
  
Filled with a new determination, Kasumi started again, "Father, about this Friday night... I know how you always enjoy my sukiyaki, and..."  
  
Soun's expression beemed a radiant joy just at the mention of said meal, as tears trickled down his cheek, "Kasumi! Oh how I look forward to this week's sukiyaki! It will be quite special!"  
  
Taken aback by the reaction, Kasumi attempted to affirm her resolve, "I'm, um, glad you look forward to it, father, but..."  
  
"You're sukiyaki was always special, it... it even rivaled your dear mother's!" Soun suddenly leapt up, and grabbed Kasumi's shoulders, startling her, "Did you know that this Friday would be the first time your mother cooked for me?"  
  
"Ah..." Without even having to hear the rest of it, Kasumi knew what she was about to be told wasn't going to help her any.  
  
"Yes! When we were courting, she prepared my favorite meal. Do you know what that is, Kasumi dear?"  
  
Kasumi gave a weak smile, "Um... sukiyaki?" Just as it left her mouth, her father pulled her into a crushing hug.  
  
"Kasumi! You make your father proud to know him so well!"  
  
"There... there, father," the girl managed to choke out with what little air she had left in her lungs.  
  
Pulling away from her, but still holding her shoulders firmly, Soun's expression was solumn, "Your mother's dying wish... well... one of them anyways, she had a rather long list of things we'll have to get to later... was when I felt you had reached the pinnicle of your culinary craft, that I was to give you the final step to the Tendou family's secret cooking arts..."  
  
"Tendou... secret cooking arts?"  
  
"Yes, you remember finding your mother's cookbook?" Kasumi nodded, already broken, but willing to endure more punishment of her father's expressive emotions.  
  
"Well, that didn't hold ALL her secrets! Oh no! Come... to my bedroom..."  
  
Before Kasumi could react, she found herself nearly dragged through the house, and was standing in the threshold of her father's room. Soun gleefully pulled out a heavily padlocked box, complete with retinal scan.  
  
"It cost me nearly a fortune, just to ensure Nabiki never accessed this," the Tendou Patriarch commented casually, as the box opened, emitting mist as it did. Kasumi blinked, as the scrolls within seemed to glow etherally. Each one seemed rather old, yet elegently prepared.  
  
Cautiously, Soun lifted the scrolls from the box, "These... are the total sum of the Tendou Clan's cooking techniques. Techniques so renouned, master chefs had saught after them!"  
  
"Ah... I feel... honored, father..." Kasumi mumbled, looking down at the pile her father was placing in her arms. After doing so, he pulled one lone scroll from the pile.  
  
"Kasumi, would you honor your old father with this particular recipe?"  
  
_________________________  
  
Ranma strolled into the kitchen, followed by Akane who kept eyeing him as if she were studying the village idiot. Regardless of how idiotic she thought of this training regimen, she gave her vow to keep the peace.  
  
Kasumi turned to Ranma, looking a bit pale and shellshocked, "H-hello, Ranma."  
  
The pigtailed boy didn't even seem to notice her condition, "Yo, Kas', we're all set to begin your training! By the end of this week, you'll be ready and sketch'n to battle!"  
  
"Um, Ranma, I thank you for all this... but I think that..." Kasumi stopped, as Ranma motioned Akane to bring in the necessary equipment for Kasumi's training. Once she saw, Kasumi forgot all else exept her incredulousness, "N-Nikki?"  
  
Ranma beemed, as the blond woman snorted, and tossed her head to the side, "Kasumi, what a... quaint domicile we have here. You caretake it yourself?"  
  
Kasumi blinked, managing to regain herself, "Um, yes, yes I do."  
  
"Obviously," Nikki replied, "You must not have much time then, to give this place such a rushed effort."  
  
Kasumi closed her eyes, and her smile became a bit hollow, "Pardon?"  
  
Ranma interjected, "Well Kasumi, seeing as how the two of you are old friends, I kinda thought it would be cool if you two got to know each other... for the next couple of days."  
  
"WHAT?" Kasumi nearly screeched, before quickly recovering her composure, "I mean... I'm pretty sure Nikki...chan has a great deal of things to do."  
  
"Much to your fortune, I'm between gigs," Nikki commented, "I think it would be nice if we got to know one another before I prove once and for all I'm your superior." The woman looked around the kitchen, "Let's just do it somewhere other than around here."  
  
Kasumi just smiled as best as she could.  
  
_________________________ 


	14. Trouble and Bass Ep 5: Kasumi's Rival'

"You know? I never realized how a person could be both a genious and an idiot at the same time," Nabiki commented, laying down on her sister's bed, as Akane sat in her deskchair, and Ranma sat in lotus position on the floor.  
  
"Is true parodox, yes?" Shampoo added, sitting on Akane's desk with her legs crossed.  
  
"I'm tell'n ya, by the time it comes to Kasumi's danceoff, she'll be more than ready to compete.  
  
"Assuming she hasn't killed Ms. Akamatsu by then. Even dear old sweet sis has her limits," Nabiki interjected.

* * *

Kasumi sat across from her old schoolmate, smiling serenely, as they caught up on old times. It was nice to converse with someone she considered a friend back when she was still in high school, at least that's what Kasumi kept telling herself, in order to resist the urge to stab either the woman or herself with the butterknife in hand.  
  
"And then she has the gall to tell me they were sold out! Well, right then I demanded that I wouldn't leave the store until I had satisfaction. Really, a world class dancer such as myself gracing their quaint little store. Well, that's when-"

* * *

"Relax, I already gave Kasumi the rules for this training," Ranma retorted, completly unphazed by the possibility of Kasumi going homicidal. That would just be too un-Kasumi to him. Nonetheless, he did give her guidelines to follow, just to give her training regimen a little more validity, "Rule one, no fighting with her, rule two, no dancing, rule three, remain as pleasant as possible. I figure the woman's obnoxious enough to get Kasumi's goat, and all that pent up anger will just fuel her when the time comes."

* * *

"Kasumi dear, really, i can afford it! Anything so I' not seen with you in such a drab, ill fitting, atrocity to fashion! I'm a world class dancer with lots of money, after all!"  
  
Kasumi simply continued to smile and nod, thinking to herself, "Gee, I wish my Daddy was rich enough for me to be delusional..."

* * *

"So you're brilliant plan is to turn Kasumi into a brimming powerbomb, waiting to ignite and unleash an unearthly terror upon anyone that crosses her the wrong way?" Nabiki clarified, sounding more than a little concerned.  
  
"Well, you don't need to sound so drastic about it," Ranma replied.  
  
"You know? If you weren't such an insufferable, gloryhogging, selfish, dramaqueen back in high school, we may have been the best of friends, like we are now," Nikki stated, wrapping an arm around Kasumi's shoulders, "It was nice that we got together like this, before I completely show you for the fraud that you are."  
  
Nabiki, Akane, and Shampoo looked at each other, before shrugging indifferently. "Well, she WAS pretty obnoxious," Nabiki commented.  
  
"I'm home."  
  
All four occupying Akane's room looked at each other, before racing out and down the stairs to meet the eldest Tendou sister. Ranma arrived first, "So, how'd it go?"  
  
Kasumi's serene, vapid smile never left her face, as she removed her jacket, and headed for the stairs. The silence that came from her slightly unnerved everyone, as they quietly followed her upstairs, and to the door of her room. Kasumi gently closed it, still not uttering a word. With the barrier separating her from the rest of the world, Kasumi's smile melted from the obvious mask to one of angry determination. From the vanity desk in her room, she picked up the diskman Ranma let her borrow, put on the headphones, and started it as she walked to the window of her room, and looked out into her town.

* * *

"Kasumi dear, it's Thursday!" Soun beemed to his eldest daughter, as she continued to clean while listening to Ranma's diskman, while wearing a focused expression. "Um... Kasumi?"  
  
Just noticing her father, Kasumi stopped sweeping the hall, and put the personal stereo on pause, "Oh, yes father?"  
  
"I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is the big day!" Soun almost danced in anticipation of his wife's legendary sukiyaki recipe.  
  
"Oh, that," Kasumi replied, almost disinterested, "I understand father, I'm glad your happy."  
  
Her lack of entheusiasm was lost on her remaining parent, who found himself in a tearful lament, "Oh, how you've made your father so happy!"  
  
The Tendou Patriarch was on cloud nine, prancing off like a delighted little child who had been promised his heart's greatest desires. Though Soun had missed the virtually flippant dismissal, it wasn't lost on the two spying from the threshold of the back entrance.  
  
"If you ask me, I think your little training regimen worked too well," Akane stated, not quite sure what to make of Kasumi's sudden demeanor.  
  
"Hey, if she's gonna win, she's gotta have the attitude!" Ranma countered, "She looks like she really wants to win this thing, huh? Guess that Austrian chick-"  
  
"Austrailian."  
  
"Whatever," Ranma quipped, "I guess she ticked Kasumi off something fierce. I mean, your sister's ki is flaring pretty strongly with the rhythm of 'Never'. I can practically hear it from her body languge!"  
  
"You're right there," Akane said, noticing the way Kasumi's movements were as fluid as the melody, yet her her steps were as firm as the base. Her aura responded like an equalizer visual, rolling from her form in almost hypnotic waves, "Geez, she doesn't even know the Rhythmer's fist, and she's humming like a livewire!"  
  
"And you do?" Ranma equired, he already knew the answer, but also figure Akane was somewhat shying from outright revealing it to him.  
  
"Sis," Akane called out to Kasumi, ignoring Ranma's question, "So you're ready for your big showdown tomorrow night?"  
  
The look on Kasumi's face, that look stopped Akane cold. While Ranma's cocky smirk was confidence beyond arrogance, an expression that stated he was able and more than willing to take anything on, Kasumi's quiet, unassuming, tranquil, reserved look was like some ancient martial arts master who knew the secrets to breaking his opponent before the match even begun. "Whoa."  
  
Akane turned back at Ranma's exclamation, as she had almost said the same thing. Kasumi began sweeping again, "I should do fine tomorrow."  
  
"But... what about Dad, and..." Kasumi turned back on the diskman before Akane could finish. The youngest Tendou daughter slumped, slightly defeated, "I guess you made your decision of which is more important, then."

* * *

Friday night, the big night that Soun Tendou had been waiting for. One of his wife's final wishes was for him to decide when one of their daughters was ready to take over the Tendou legacy, the culmination of generations of some of the greatest culinary arts created by man.  
  
This was the night he had been greatly anticipating, since the first of his daughters had entered the kitchen with a determination to do her mother proud so many years ago. The recipe that fate had chosen Kasumi to prepare after so long was one that was greatly cherished by the men of the Tendou clan; to them, there were little rewards in life greater than their vaunted sukyaki dish.  
  
It was for that fact that Soun couldn't possibly wait, as he sat, chopstick at ready, at the tearoom table. Of course, it was just the afternoon, with a few hours before Kasumi would even start cooking, but he wanted to be totally prepared.  
  
"Kasumi... you make you father so proud," the Tendou patriarch whimpered, as he quietly shed tears, and trembled in place.

* * *

Tonight, the energy traveling through the dancefloor at Ucchan's was more intense than any other night. The casual partiers that night moved with an even greater intensity, as the jams provided with the resident DJ extraordinare in silver provided the tracks for the ravetrain to roll. The club lights washed over the crowds in hues of subdued violet, soft white, or maroon, cutting though the darkness like swift katanas through black velvet. The only consistant light upon Mu Tzu handling the spinning duties; the light reflecting off of his shimmering ensemble and giving him an appearance of divinity overseeing festivities.  
  
Intensity and passion swept through everyone like high tide rolling in, leaving not a single one undrenched. And even for an extraordinary night, all this was only from anticipation of tonight's main event to be held on the center stage, currently barren of the usual VIPs of Ucchan's.  
  
That lacking oversight was rectified, as Akane and Ranma descended the spiral staircase from the catwalk that was the only way to access the hottest spot of Nerima, perhaps Tokyo's, hottest club. Akane stretched languishly, testing her muscles and indulging in the delicious sensation of her circulation coursing through them suddenly more effectively, "Wow, feels like the crowd is surging tonight."  
  
The pigtailed redhead bobbed her head to the throbbing beat of Ravelab's powerful remix of 'Send me an Angel', "No joke, feel like an electrical storm in here."  
  
"Is because too, too nice Kasumi, yes?" Shampoo spoke up, just reaching the dancefloor, "Too, too exciting showdown with braggart girl." Akane gave a salute of greeting, prompting the Amazon to give a nod of acknowledgement.  
  
Konatsu dropped from the ceiling to land between Akane and Ranma, spinning suddenly with a katana slash towards Ranma's neck. The pigtailed martial artist faded back, undaunted, "Konatsu, sup?"  
  
The shinobi sheathed his sword, "Ranma, it's good to see you doing well. To answer your questions, Ukyo-sama's been hyping the battle between Kasumi and ms. Akamatsu for the past week. It seems to have generated a great deal of interest."  
  
"Of course it would," An Australian accented voice interjected from the top of the stairs. She continued to speak as she regally came down, "simply by my involvement, you quaint establishment would be... 'jaming'would the term be... tenfold than it ever shall at any other time.  
  
"Yes, it would be rather 'jammed', with the majority of the cause being your swelled head," Ukyo commented, standing directly behind Nikki, and surprising the foreign woman with her presence.  
  
The blonde woman casually brushed her hair down from standing on end, "So, I seem to not find dear Kasumi's presence. I sincerely hope she hasn't decided to once again... respectfully recend her challenge acceptance?" Nikki chuckled, feeling her victory ensured one way or another.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that, Kasumi's rather dedicated to this competition, Ms. Akamatsu."  
  
Everyone turned to the arrival of the final two, with Nabiki descending the stairs ahead of a totally determined Kasumi. "I apologise if I'm a bit late, I had some... preparations to make."  
  
Nikki eyed Kasumi's dark brown wrap-around skirt and dark burgundy drop-needle turtleneck completed with calf-high suede black boots; a stark contrast to her completely white ensamble of leggings and nearly opaque billowing blouse that barely left anything hidden of her form. "I suppose such a... subdued outfit would take a sizable deal of you time."  
  
Kasumi finally reached the dancefloor, tossing her head to the side and sending her bangs and mane swishing. "I thought it suited my mood," she said with an almost flippant arrogance.  
  
"This really your sister?" Ranma enquired to Nabiki as she came to stand by the rest of the group, while admiring the current change the eldest Tendou daughter had apparently gone though for her bout.  
  
Nabiki smirked, "I remember when she used to go out clubbing when she was in high school. This is like some sort of regression than it a metamorphosis."  
  
Nikki hmphed at Kasumi's attitude, finding it just as obnoxious now as she did when they were still in school, "So, are you ready to finsh this?"  
  
"This isn't about finishing anything, Nikki," Kasumi answered, "But as you're so insistant on bearing this grudge, so be it." With a flick of her wrist, Kasumi produced a CD, "Since you made the challenge, I pick the song. Konatsu, if you would please. The final song on this album."  
  
She handed the CD to the shinobi, never taking her gaze from her rival. Nikki folded her arms under her chest, matching the gaze. Konatsu looked at the CD, before sending it flying like a shiruken towards the DJ. Mu Tzu caught it, and looked down to see the shinobi signal for the last song. Mu Tzu nodded in approval; an apt song for this battle, 'Woman' by Tina Arena.  
  
The battlefield stood cleared for the two fighters, as the sythesized yet soft piano and and violin rose from inconspicuousy to declaration. Kasumi made the first move, swaying with the tempo. Her eyes closed, as she could feel it's gentle command begin upon her.  
  
Then the lyrics began, urging an almost lazy roll of her head that felt sensually delicious. Her she furthered surrendered to her willing enslavement, almost gliding into motions she hadn't indulged in since her highschool years. The sway and roll of her chest that traveled down her body like dew from an orchid's petal, and the almost etheral motions of her arms and hands, as the caressed her sides and stomach, just staying shy of being indecent either north or south, before her feather-like carresses traveled heavenward against her silouette, and allowing her fingers to comb through her hair, before her fingers trailed down her face, dancing against her slightly parted lips. Kasumi came back to reality, glancing at her opponent.  
  
Nikki tossed her head back, arching her back like a thin grass stalk caught in a wind. She rolled her torso in a circle in a demonstration of her tone and lithe form, like a single helicopter propeller, while her arms slackened lazily and followed. Carrying the fluidity of movement, she spun once on her toe in a homage to her years of ballet, and then stopped in almost a slouch with her feet parted just outside of shoulder width. With a one-two sway of her hips, she then lifted her chin to the air, making it seem as it the simple motion was lifting her to the sky, bringing her to her toes. Slowly, so teasingly slow that all spectators felt as if they had swallowed silken lightning, she brought her head down, bouncing on the balls of her feet in rhythm, allowing her head to follow the motion every third beat, she rippled her body in consecutive waves, making the graceful movements more erotic than hey could be imagined. She then lifted her head giving Kasumi a feral grin from under her bangs.  
  
The feeling out phase was over. Upon the first chorus, both dancers surrendered themselves. Kasumi's movements were like an oncoming thunderstorm in the horizon; rolling clouds charged with energy, thunderous movements directed by the bass within tempo set through song. Almost licetious in her abandon, the eldest Tendou daughter was becoming further and further lost in it all, and unwilling to pull herself back. Nikki was akin to a windstorm over green plains; movements whimsically swift to subtly slow as she felt the song coaxing her, while abandoned and wild like an unabated gust.  
  
Kasumi felt simply delicious, finding sensations she had lost even so few years ago taking her over and having their way like a forgotten love that loved her like none other. The more she danced, the quicker her breath became; not from exertion, but from intense ardor. Gods, what had made her give up such a wonderous feeling?  
  
Nikki was extatic, realizing it wasn't at all about a meager grudge. She didn't fault Kasumi for her 'perfection', nor did she actually have any desire to 'put the girl in her proper place'. Her whole life had been about dancing. From when she put on her mother's ballet shoes when she was three, to traveling the world (at her father's expense) and performing. over that time, she had found she had lost something, a component integral to her art. As it became more and more conspicuous in its absense, she began to hear about a girl who awed and blew away any who danced and watched her dance, moving in such alluring ways that left them dumbstruck. The more she heard about the girl named Kasumi Tendou, the more it had angered her. No, it wasn't a rivalry developed from animosity; irritance because Kasumi was the belle of the ball. Kasumi had found what Nikki had lost.  
  
When the gauntlet was originally thrown, Nikki couldn't help but thirst for the battle, seeing what Kasumi had to offer, and drinking it up and filling that void that slowly began to drain the enjoyment and her desire to dance. The passion, what Kasumi had, what Nikki once had, and what Nikki needed now. When Kasumi failed to show, the blonde was more than disappointed, she was crushed. Arrogance attempted to fill the void, but it couldn't quell her thirst. Eventually, Nikki needed to face Kasumi.  
  
"I can change your world,  
I can give you life,  
I can sing you lulliby at night."  
  
Kasumi hair whipped with her head, as she twisted with a libidinous panache, her arms hugging her side as if she strained to contain herself.  
  
"I can see you eyes before they flicker blind ,  
I can rescue you in the nick of time..."  
  
Nikki blouse billowed with her movements, as she lithely and gracefully flew from motion to motion. After a spin, she dropped to her knees, and tossed her head back with her fingertips reaching back to touch the ground, arching her back as her chest thrust out.  
  
Both women spun to face each other, facing each other from opposite sides of the dancefloor. Kasumi's subtle smile said it all; she couldn't go back now. Who she had become after that faithful night was not who she truly was, and she missed who she really was. But still, there was more, there was one final level she hadn't reached.  
  
Nikki caught Kasumi's smile, and matched it with a genuine one of her own. Apparently, they both got what they need. What was only left was for them to go further. Nikki's smile fell, before they both bowed their heads.  
  
At one of the surrounding tables of the dancefloor, hidden where the dancelights didn't reach her, a certain woman with a peculiar metallic aqua hairtone sat up in her seat; her eyes widening at the sensation that was building when the two girls bowed.  
  
The song began into it's climax, right as the two dancer's heads shot up. At once, a wave of indescribable energy surged throughout Ucchan's, washing over everyone like a tidal wave. Both Kasumi and Nikki dance grew more potent, lascivious, consuming them both like a dry meadow within a hungry fire.  
  
The two storms gravitated towards one another, before they mingled and entwined into a roaring tempest. They danced against each other, grinding their pelveses together around entwined legs, not touching one another in any other way, and glaring at each other in glares mistaken for hate or lust. Glaring at each other in what could only be undilluted, distilled passion.  
  
Finally, the intensity wound down, as the song came down from high, winding back into a quiet nonexistance. Kasumi and Nikki broke away gently, like a force of nature dissappating; leaving summer clouds, a gentle breeze, and an audience panting from the performance.

* * *

"A draw..." Nabiki breathed, somewhat disappointed at the outcome both her sister and her opponent decided on. The middle Tendou sister had to admit, it was a tough one to call.  
  
Kasumi smiled sweetly, as she walked down the stairs from her bedroom with her sisters and their mutual fiance, "Oh, it's quite alright, I had fun."  
  
"That was some performance, though," Ranma spoke up, "You're definitely one in your own class, Kasumi."  
  
"Why, thank you for the compliment, Ranma-kun."  
  
"Yeah, it's sad to see you have to give it all up again, Kasumi," Akane added, noting her sister back to wearing one of her usual housedresses.  
  
"Oh, I would certainly like to do it again, please don't think I'm abandoning it all," even if it sounded like the motherly, dutiful Kasumi, the smirk on her face was anything but.  
  
"Well, even if you were, at least you had it for a night. I think you made the right choice, even if it's going to leave Daddy a bit disappointed," Nabiki said, almost somberly.  
  
"Oh, that's quite alright," Kasumi answered, causing her sisters to look at one another, puzzled that their eldest sister would blow off their father in such a way.  
  
As they entered the tearoom, Kasumi calmly waited for her three companions to pick themselves off the ground from a unified face fault. "You see, mother's sukiyaki recipe required that the meat be cooked slowly over half a day. I had plenty of time to prepare dinner."  
  
"Oh Kasumi, you've made your father's fondest wishes reality!" Soun wept, as he still held a little morsel of heaven between his chopsticks.  
  
"Yum," Nikki aggreed, quickly working through her second helping. 


End file.
